§ The Minister for Local and Regional Government (Mr. Nick Raynsford)I have today received the independent boundary committee's final reports and recommendations on options for unitary local government for each of the existing two-tier county areas in the three northern regions. We welcome the completion of this significant step towards the holding of referendums for elected regional assemblies in the autumn.
We will now carefully consider the recommended options and any representations about them that are made to us before taking decisions about the options that will be included in a draft order. We do not intend to take decisions about the options until 6 July.
In the meantime, those who wish to make representations to us may do so. We will have regard to those before deciding what options we propose to put to electors. These options, together with the date of the referendums, will be contained in an order to be made following parliamentary approval.