§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about progress in the current review of the boundaries of local government electoral areas, stating whether public inquiries can still be held and whether there will be future opportunities for making representations to the appropriate authorities before final decisions are taken.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 30 March 1993]:To date my right hon. Friend has received reports from the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland for the three islands councils 319W and all regional councils other than Strathclyde. The Commission has recently commenced its programme of reviews of the 53 district councils.
No further public inquiries can be held for the islands and regions. However, in the case of the districts, where the reviews are in progress, the commission will publish in the local press the time limits for lodging of representations and details of any public inquiries to be held. When the commission submits its reports to the Secretary of State there is a further opportunity for representations to be made about the commission's final recommendations.