Clause 61 - Interpretation of Part 4
Local Government Bill
3:15 pm
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
I am afraid that we need to rehearse—or re-rehearse—the question of unitary authorities, because clause 61, uniquely in the Bill, uses the term ''unitary county council''. Does that term include all unitary authorities? Does it include unitary metropolitan district councils? It is another example of how untidily this and other Bills have been
drafted, and we will need to tidy up the term, particularly as the Government are proposing more unitary authorities for this country. Will the Under-Secretary consider that matter, if not today then perhaps at a later stage? We raised it with the Minister for Local Government and the Regions recently, and we will continue to raise it every time we get a list of local authorities until the matter is tidied up.