§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will now reconsider the amendment of the Local Government Act 1972, so as to permit orders constituting parish councils to be made without there first being a recommendation from the Local Government Boundary Commission;
(2) how many district councils are at present awaiting recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission in their proposals for constituting parish councils; and if he will list these in the Official Report;
(3) whether he has any proposals to alleviate the pressure of work on the Local Government Boundary Commission in order to permit the rapid constitution of parish councils in those areas where they are required;
(4) how many district councils, in accordance with Section 48(8) of the Local Government Act 1972 have submitted proposals for the constitution of parish councils to the Local Government Boundary Commission since January 1975; and what proportion of these have been advised by the Commission that such proposals cannot be considered by the Commission until the late 1970s or early 1980s as a result of pressure of work;
(5) if he is satisfied that delay is not being experienced by district councils wishing to constitute successor parish councils as a result of the taking up of the Local Government Boundary Commission's resources by other pressing matters;
(6) by what date he expects that all required parish councils will be constituted.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe Local Government Boundary Commission for England is at present concentrating on the task to 467W which the Local Government Act 1972 requires it to give priority: the review of district and county electoral areas. The pressure of its work on this priority task could be relieved only by abandoning or weakening the safeguards built into the procedure, and this would not be right.
Nor would it be desirable to exclude the Commission from parish reviews: parish areas and boundaries are important in themselves and in relation to other local government boundaries and areas. It is right that in considering proposals the Secretary of State should have the benefit of the advice of the Local Government Boundary Commission, which is able to take a comprehensive view of local government areas and boundaries to complement the detailed local knowledge of the district councils.
Although there have been inquiries about changes in parish boundaries and inquiries by persons interested in securing the establishment of parish councils, no district council has submitted a recommendation for a new parish to the Commission. Nineteen district councils have indicated an interest in doing so at the appropriate time, however—14 which have in mind the creation of parishes where none exists at present and five which are concerned with modifications of the existing parish pattern in ways which would create additional parishes.
Guidelines to assist district councils in undertaking parish reviews will be formulated later this year, and it should be appropriate for district councils to consider initiating parish reviews in the course of next year in the light of those guidelines. It is, however, as yet too early to hazard an estimate of the date by which all new parish councils will be constituted in areas where proposals are finally agreed.