§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now exercise the powers that enable him to allow local authorities to extend their refuse collection system to areas covered by the former district councils and in which ratepayers now pay for a refuse collection service which they cannot by law receive.
§ Mr. McElhoneUntil Section 12 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974—which relates to the general powers of local authorities to collect refuse—is brought into force, my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider an application by a district council which does not have powers throughout its district for an order under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 extending to the whole of the district the powers available to it under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Acts, provided that it could be shown that the present arrangements are unworkable and if the extended service could be provided without increase in the overall allocation of resources to the authority concerned.