§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the establishment of neighbourhood councils in England, in view of the experiments 43W already being carried out in London and elsewhere and the statutory provisions made for Scotland and Wales.
§ Mr. John SilkinMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, speaking at Newcastle as Leader of the Opposition in February 1973 on "Democracy in local affairs", suggested lines on which neighbourhood councils might be established. I shall very shortly be consulting local government bodies with a view of carrying these proposals forward.