HL Deb 04 May 1984 vol 451 cc789-92WA
Baroness Gardner of Parkes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are yet able to announce their conclusions on the proposed reallocation of functions in Greater London and the metropolitan counties in the light of the consultation on the White Paper Streamlining the Cities (Cmnd. 9063).

Lord Bellwin

The Government have considered carefully all the views submitted in response to the White Paper,Streamlining the Cities and the associated consultation documents. We remain convinced that the GLC and the MCCs are an unnecessary tier of government and that the appropriate course is for the borough and district councils to take on wherever possible the current role of the GLC and the MCCs.

Joint Boards Functions

The White Paper proposed that certain services should be run jointly by the boroughs and districts through joint boards: education in Inner London, fire in London and fire, police and public transport in the metropolitan counties. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced on 5th April a directly elected body for education in Inner London. For the other services we remain convinced that joint boards are the right solution.

However, Streamlining the Cities made it clear that the Government would be prepared to consider on their merits any proposals by individual districts to withdraw from transport joint boards and provide separate public transport services for their areas. This remains the position. We have also decided to provide in the main Bill for the possibility that individual authorities or groups of authorities could be permitted to take over responsibility for fire and police services in their areas provided that the authorities concerned can demonstrate, once the joint boards have been in existence for a reasonable time, that they could administer the services more effectively and that provision nationally and in the rest of the metropolitan area would not be adversely affected.

We have concluded that it would be appropriate for the fire board in London to deal with civil defence planning.

Functions to be Transferred to the Lower Tier

In general we are satisfied that the boroughs and districts should take over the functions and duties of the GLC and the MCCs with the few exceptions noted in the White Paper. We have, however, concluded that in a small number of cases there should be changes to the proposals in the White Paper in the light of views expressed to us.

We announced on 11th April our conclusions on the future support for the arts and for sport, on the funding arrangements for voluntary bodies, on the future of the Historic Buildings Division of the GLC and on two aspects of the GLCs housing activity—the mobility scheme and seaside and country homes.

We have considered the representations made in response to the consultation paper on the reallocation of planning functions, and concluded that the White Paper proposals for structure and local plans should be simplified. The principle that all planning powers should be devolved to London borough and metropolitan district councils will not be changed. But, instead of being responsible for both structure and local plans, we now propose that those authorities should prepare a new simpler type of unitary development plan which combines features of both a structure plan and local plans. A note which sets out these new proposals for development plans will be available shortly and will be placed in the Library of the House.

We do not propose to make any change to the consultation paper proposals on other aspects of the planning function, relating to regional guidance, planning conferences and the London Planning Commission, development control, minerals planning and land reclamation. The London Planning Commission will be expected, in formulating its advice to the Secretary of State, to take account of the regional context, after consulting relevant bodies including the London and South East Regional Planning Conference.

On the question of London housing renovation liabilities, our consultation paper proposed that the boroughs' costs on transferred stock would be included in the calculation of their housing subsidy entitlements. We have now concluded that account will also be taken of the needs for improvement expenditure in the arrangements to maintain the broad financial effect of the GLCs obligatory revenue contributions within London after abolition.

As far as archives are concerned, we will look to the metropolitan district councils to co-operate as envisaged in the White Paper and my department will be discussing further with individual councils how best to secure the transfer of existing collections. For London, the City has indicated, in accordance with its tradition of providing particular services for London as a whole, that it would be willing, provided suitable arrangement can be made, to consider undertaking the responsibility for the Greater London Record Office in order to maintain the advantages of the present single service. My department is discussing with the City whether such arrangements are practicable.

We have also concluded that it will be for the London Borough Councils together with any other bodies involved to decide on the future arrangements for centralised purchasing, the scientific services and other of the GLC's general support services; consultations are in progress on the GLC Research Library and data bases.

Residual Matters

The White Paper indentified serveral residual matters which cannot readily be distributed among the borough and district councils. We have concluded that these should become the responsibility of a single administering body appointed by the Secretary of State for each area, including Greater London. These bodies will handle the management of the existing debt; they will become the administering authorities for the MCC and the GLC pension funds; they will dispose of surplus property; and they will take over unassigned legal rights and liabilities. These residuary bodies will be required to seek ways to wind up their activities as soon as practicable.

Further Consultations

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has invited the Association of Metropolitan Authorities to act as the main focus for detailed consultation with us on the proposed transfer of functions. I hope that they will now recognise that it is in everyone's interests for such detailed discussions to be held. We have already initiated consultation on the financial aspects of abolition, including the necessary extension of the London Rates Equalisation Scheme, through the machinery of the Consultative Council.

We have already announced our intention of establishing a staff commission as soon as possible. We have also renewed our request to the TUC's Local Government Committee to enter into detailed consultations on staffing matters.

Further announcements will be made in due course about trading standards and related functions, some other smaller services, and other detailed arrangements. The House will be kept informed of any further proposals we make.