National Registration

HC Deb 21 June 1950 vol 476 cc128-9W

Sir W. Darling

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider transferring the work of Central National Registration to local authorities; and how much he estimates that the cost of such transfer would be.

Mr. McNeil

The maintenance of a Central Register, which is an essential feature of National Registration, could not be undertaken by local authorities. I have no reason to think that the associated local work, at present carried out by food offices at an estimated cost of £70,000 a year in salaries and wages, could be done more economically by local authorities.