§ Mr. Nealeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will include parish and town councils within the powers of investigation of the Commission for Local Administration, in view of the increasing role of such councils; and, if not, if he will state the reasons for such refusal.
§ Mr. KingI have no plans to do so.
The last Administration rejected a recommendation to this effect by the Commission for Local Administration in England following its 1976–7 annual review, on the grounds that the cost of bringing more than 7,000 parish and town councils within the commissioners' jurisdiction would be disproportionately high in terms of finance and manpower bearing in mind the relatively limited functions of those authorities. This would remain a most important consideration in the event of a renewal of the proposal.