§ Mr. Gilzeanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has yet received a Report from the Local Government Manpower Committee for Scotland; and what action he proposes to take on it.
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Mr. McNeilThe Committee have submitted a first Report dealing with 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. The Report is being published today. In general, and subject to further consideration of the proposals involving legislation, the recommendations made have been accepted by the Government. Some have already been implemented and action to carry out others is in hand.
The Committee are now proceeding with the consideration of the remaining part of their terms of reference. I should like, however, at this stage to express the Government's warm appreciation of the work which the Committee have done and in particular of the way in which the local authority representatives with the help of a large number of local government officers, have co-operated with Government Departments in arriving at the agreements recorded in the first Report.