HC Deb 17 March 1995 vol 256 cc731-2W
Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the shire county areas, in respect of which the Local Government Commission has recommended the total abolition of the county council in favour of unitary authorities; and what percentage they represent of all shire county areas.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

The Local Government Commission recommended an all-unitary structure of local government in 10 county areas—that is, 26 per cent. of the 39 shire county areas in England. Specifically, it recommended that the county councils in Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cleveland, Dorset, Humberside, North Yorkshire and Somerset should be abolished and that the Isle of Wight should have one unitary authority.