§ Baroness Hamweeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of the comments of the Secretary of State for the Environment in Environment News Release dated 30 September 1993. that the views of local people are of paramount importance and the Earl of Lindsay's remark on 25 April 1995 that "the opinion of local people who live and work in these areas will he important" (H.L. Deb., col. 783), they will reject any of the Local Government Commission's Final Recommendations of 19 December to create unitary authorities where there is substantial opposition to change from local people.
Earl FerrersWe are currently considering the Local Government Commission's recommendations on the district reviews, along with the representations which we receive. The June 1995 Policy and Procedure Guidance to the commission makes it clear that the views of local people are important as an element of community identity, and we shall give proper attention to that factor. However our decisions must he taken as a result of attention to all the issues. not just one element.