§ Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in line with the request referred to in paragraph 45 of the White Paper on industrial democracy, Command Paper No. 7231, to the chairmen of the nationalised industries, the Government have asked for joint proposals by August 1978 for further improvement in consultation and participation in local government; and, if this has 75W not been done, what the Government's proposals for an extension of industrial democracy in local government are.
§ Mr. ShoreNo. The considerations applying to the public service were explained in the statement on 23rd May by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister. —[Vol. 950, c. 1335–55.] The Government believe that local government employees should be given all possible opportunities to contribute their views on matters affecting them, provided the accountability of local authorities to their electorates is not eroded. The view of the local authority associations—with whom I have already had some discussions—is that progress can probably best be achieved by agreement between employees and the councils of individual local authorities.