HC Deb 05 April 1949 vol 463 cc169-70W
Mr. Willis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to appoint a Committee on Local Government Manpower in Scotland similar to the committee recently set up in England and Wales.

Mr. Woodburn

Yes. I have invited the Scottish Local Authority Associations to appoint representatives to serve with representatives of Government Departments on a Local Government Manpower Committee with the following terms of referenceTo review and co-ordinate the existing arrangements for ensuring economy in the use of manpower by local authorities and by those Government Departments which are concerned with local government matters and to examine in particular the distribution of functions between central and local government and the possibility of relaxing departmental supervision of local authority activities and delegating more responsibility to local authorities.

I hope to announce the constitution of the Committee at an early date.