§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any consideration has been given to handing over the district councils responsibility for local roads and sewers.
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§ Mr. John SilkinDistrict councils already have certain responsibilities in both these matters.
The Local Government Act 1972 empowers districts to maintain unclassified urban roads on behalf of the highway authority. Districts may also undertake other highways work where this is agreed with the highway authority. Reorganisation of local government which brought these arrangements into effect is only a few months old, and the Government have no proposals to reopen the distribution of functions between counties and districts.
District councils also deal with sewerage functions, on behalf of the new water authorities, under the Water Act 1973. My right hon. Friend announced in the House on 27th June that he proposes to let the new system for administering water and sewerage run for two years or so before reviewing its progress.