§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many new appointments he estimates will be created in other public sector bodies as a consequence of his approval to abolish the Merseyside county council; and if he will make a statement.
(2) how many employees of the Merseyside county council can expect to be made redundant as a result of his proposal to abolish the metropolitan counties; what the cost will be in terms of compensation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungThe numbers, in each case, will depend on detailed decisions to be taken by successor bodies. The explanatory memorandum to the Local Government Bill contains an overall estimate of its effects on public service manpower and the cost of redundancy compensation. I cannot, at this stage, make worthwhile estimates at the level of individual metropolitan county councils.
§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual savings to the ratepayers of Merseyside of abolition of the Merseyside county council; how much his proposals are likely to save each domestic and each industrial ratepayer within the county; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungWe estimate that the overall rationalisation savings arising from abolition of the metropolitan counties will be £50 million annually. On average, this represents about 3 per cent. of MCCs' rate fund current expenditure, which is equivalent to a reduction of about 6 per cent. in the total MCC precepts. Further savings are expected to arise as successor authorities carry out services more economically.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is proposing to collect information which will enable him to monitor the staff numbers and costs arising from his Department's work arising from the abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils.
§ Sir George YoungI have already arranged for the information given in my hon. Friend's reply of 28 November to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) to be updated regularly.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is proposing to make amendments to his Department's MINIS system of management control in order to monitor the costs of abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils.
§ Sir George YoungNo.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 19 Conservative London borough leaders known to him to support the abolition of the Greater London council.
§ Sir George YoungThe Conservative leaders of the following London borough councils have expressed their support for the abolition of the GLC, and their belief that there is no need for an elected upper tier authority for London after the GLC is abolished:
- Barnet
- Bexley
559 - Brent
- Bromley
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Merton
- Redbridge
- Sutton
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the event of the abolition of the Greater London council, what he intends to do with the council's own art collection.
§ Sir George YoungProperty of the Greater London council required by successor bodies in connection with their functions or that belongs with other property transferred under the Bill, will be appropriately transferred at abolition by order under clause 92. Property not so transferred will vest initially in the London residuary body under clause 59.