HC Deb 17 March 1995 vol 256 cc730-1W
Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Education about the implications for the education service of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

(2) if he will consult the Secretary of State for National Heritage about the implications for the public: library service of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

(3) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Transport about the implications for transport planning of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire;

(4) if he will consult the Secretary of State for Health about the implications for social services, with particular reference to the development of community care and the protection of mental health, of the Local Government Commission's recommendations in respect of Berkshire.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

Decisions made by Government, including decisions on the recommendations of the Local Government Commission, are taken collectively.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the recommendations of the Local Government Commission in respect of Berkshire; and how many of these opposed the proposals.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

We have received some 5,400 letters. Many of these have not been couched in terms of support for, or opposition to, the commission's recommended local government structure for the county as a whole, but approximately three quarters have expressed opposition to change. We have also received a petition of some 10,000 signatures in support of an alternative unitary structure and one of some 4,300 signatures in favour of a unitary Reading on extended boundaries. One hundred and thirty-five pro-forma leaflets have been received, 39 of which have expressed opposition to change.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Local Government Commission included the status quo as an option for public consultation in its review of local government structure in Berkshire.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

No. The commission's consultation report and leaflets did, however, explain that it must recommend to the Government whether to change the existing structure of local government in the county or whether to make no change.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reach a decision on the recommendation of the Local Government Commission in respect of Berkshire.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

As my right hon. Friend told the House on 2 March,Official Report, columns 1183–1202, he expects to be able to make a statement in the very near future on Berkshire and those other counties on which decisions about local government structure have yet to be announced.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate the Local Government Commission has made of the additional administrative staff required by the proposals in respect of Berkshire.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

The commission's financial estimates of costs and savings associated with its proposals for local government reorganisation in Berkshire, which were made publicly available in December 1994, incorporated the assumption that 129 additional staff would be required compared with the status quo. The staffing levels of local authorities are, however, ultimately a matter for the authorities themselves.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if joint arrangements between authorities would be needed for the implementation of the Local Government Commission's recommendation in respect of Berkshire.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

It would be for the Berkshire local authorities to consider the most suitable means of service delivery, including whether voluntary joint arrangements were desirable for particular functions. For the fire service, the Local Government Commission has recommended a statutory joint authority.