HL Deb 11 July 1995 vol 565 cc105-6WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What decision they have reached on the recommendation of the Local Government Commission that the County of Cleveland should be abolished and its area divided, for ceremonial and related purposes, between the historic counties of Durham and Yorkshire.

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Earl Ferrers)

In his answer of 18 January 1994 in another place to the honourable Member for Langbaurgh [Official Report, vol 235, col 581–582], my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment said that he had accepted in principle that the County of Cleveland should be abolished, but deferred a final decision until he had reached decisions on the Commission's recommendations for Durham and North Yorkshire. In the light of his decisions on those two counties, and following consultation, he has now confirmed his decision that the County of Cleveland should be abolished. He has also decided that, for ceremonial and related purposes, the county area north of the River Tees should be associated with County Durham, and the area south of the River Tees with North Yorkshire, restoring the traditional boundary between Durham and Yorkshire.