§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a copy of the Coopers and Lybrand Ltd. report on the costs involved on the abolition of the metropolitan counties; and if he has undertaken any comparable detailed costing study.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe report confirms our view that detailed costings cannot be undertaken until the boroughs and districts have made decisions about the future handling of services. We remain confident that substantial savings will be made when a whole tier of bureaucracy is removed.
§ Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from organisations in Haringey in response to his White Paper, Cmnd. 9063, "Streamlining the Cities", and which of them were in favour of, or against, the abolition of the Greater London council.
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§ Mr. WaldegraveI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 February at c. 524 to the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon).
§ Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state in summary form the numbers for and against his plans to abolish the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils in the representations he has received from each of the opposition parties in each authority.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe main opposition party on four of the metropolitan county councils has expressed support for our proposal to abolish the councils. The main opposition party on the GLC and Merseyside county council favours reform of the council. No representations have been received from the main opposition party on the West Midlands county council.
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in whom it is proposed to vest the future control and management of the open space known as Blackheath in the event of the abolition of the Greater London council; and whether consultations have taken place with any or all of the Crown Estates Commissioners, the Earl of Dartmouth or Morden college as owners of the soil and freehold.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is proposed in the White Paper "Streamlining the Cities" that the borough councils concerned will take over the GLC's functions in relation to open spaces such as Blackheath. Responses to the White Paper's proposals are still being considered.