§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will identify the geographical characteristics of Berkshire which justify its division into six unitary authorities. [27853]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesGeography is among the factors considered in the Local Government Commission's final report for Berkshire which recommended a structure of five unitary authorities, based on existing districts but including a merger of Bracknell Forest and Windsor and Maidenhead. My right hon. Friend accepted the commission's reasons and recommendations for an all-unitary structure but rejected the proposed merger for the reasons given in his statement and written answers of 21 March,Official Report, columns 123 and 145.
§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he will compensate the six new unitary authorities in Berkshire for the extra costs incurred by entering into separate contracts for highway maintenance, electrical engineering and highway and planning services. [27854]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe effect of the regulations that we have made is that contracts of an abolished authority will normally pass to its successor authorities on reorganisation. Authorities may negotiate different contractual arrangements if they wish: presumably, they would do so only if they judged that making the change would improve cost-effectiveness.