HC Deb 10 March 1971 vol 813 cc100-1W
34. Mr. Arthur Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give further details of ways in which his proposals for the reform of local government in England will increase the independence of local authorities.

Mr. Peter Walker

Detailed proposals for increasing the independence of local authorities, with particular reference to the reduction of statutory controls, are being formulated as the preparation of the reorganisation Bill proceeds, but I am not yet in a position to add to what is said in the White Paper.

83. Mr. Idris Owen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received from the various local authority associations on the reorganisation of local government in England.

Mr. Graham Page

Following the publication of the White Paper on 16th February, my right hon. Friend has received representations from the Association of Municipal Corporations, whose representatives he hopes to meet soon.

87. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from local authority associations about the proposed local government boundary changes; and what discussions he intends to have with them.

Mr. Peter Walker

I have received no representations from local authority associations about the new boundaries proposed. I shall be consulting them about many aspects of local government reform including the work of the Boundary Commission which will make recommendations for the pattern of new districts outside the metropolitan counties.

114 and 115. Sir D. Walker-Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will specify the upper ranges of population envisaged for the new districts as ranging upwards from 40,000 in paragraph 34 of Command Paper No. 4584 and paragraph 14 of Circular 8/71;

(2) if he will clarify the reference to populations ranging upwards from 40,000 in paragraph 34 of Command Paper No. 4584 and paragraph 14 of Circular 8/71, stating whether this figure refers to total population of all ages or to local government electors.

Mr. Graham Page

The rationalisation which the Government have in mind implies that local authorities who are formulating proposals for amalgamations should aim for new units with populations of 75–100,000. The bigger cities and towns will retain their identities so that some districts will have populations of 200,000 or more. At the other end of the scale, 40,000 should be the minimum save where sparsity of population makes a lower total inescapable. These figures refer to the whole population of all ages and not just to local government electors.

120. Mr. Albert Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will so draft the forthcoming legislation reorganising local government as to ensure that the whole of the county of Yorkshire should be designated as a province.

Mr. Graham Page

It is too early to take long-term decisions about provincial arrangements.