§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those additional functions for which local authorities in Wales have become responsible since 1979.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsSwansea city council and Delyn borough council have become enterprise zone authorities and the statutory processes are under way for a further zone designation in the districts of South Pembrokeshire and Preseli. In 14 districts where the special community reviews have been completed— 725W Afan, Cynon Valley, Aberconwy, Swansea, Newport, Dwyfor, Colwyn, Neath, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhuddlan, Merthyr Tydfil, Radnor and Islwyn — the district councils have assumed responsibility for reviewing the boundaries and electoral arrangements of the communities within their districts under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972. All other district councils will assume this responsibility in due course. Within the field of my responsibilities no other additional functions have been imposed on local authorities since 1979. A number of requirements concerning long-standing functions have been varied—for example, since 1981 local authorities have been required to charge prescribed fees for planning applications — but changes of this nature are not regarded as additional functions.