HC Deb 23 January 1991 vol 184 cc185-6W
Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether for the 1987 general election any chief executive of a local authority(a) refused appointment as an acting returning officer or (b) took unpaid leave from their authority in order to carry out the function of an acting returning officer.

Mrs. Rumbold

Chief executives of local authorities in England and Wales who are acting retuning officers are not directly appointed to that office: they have a statutory responsibility to carry out the duties of acting returning officers by virtue of the fact that they are electoral registration officers appointed by a district or London borough council. We are not aware of any chief executive who took unpaid leave in order to carry out the duties of acting returning officer at the last general election.

Mr. David Hunt

If Pembrokeshire district health authority decides to submit a formal application it will be subject to a statutory consultation period of three months after which I would hope to issue an early decision.