§ Mr. ChannonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment with respect to those local authority areas which are still the subject of review by the Local Government Commission on what date he proposes that local elections be held for any authority that may be created; and on what date local authorities will take up their responsibilities. [4859]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordFor all those districts which are the subject of fresh reviews by the Local Government Commission, the timing of any structural change will depend on the commission's final recommendations and on the Government's response to those recommendations. Where there is to be reorganisation, it is our policy that there should be full elections to the future unitary authority the year before the transfer of responsibilities.