Orders of the Day — Local Government

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 30 July 1957.

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Photo of Sir Isaac Pitman Sir Isaac Pitman , Bath 12:00, 30 July 1957

If the hon. Member will pay me the compliment of listening to the rest of the argument, he will appreciate that at present, when revenue is, say, 56 per cent. from national and 44 per cent. from local government sources, the local authority in Edinburgh is at present fully controlled in effect by the central Government. Moreover, it is controlled not only at the stage of grant but at the stage of checking everything that is spent. I think that the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro)was wrong in his argument yesterday. He quoted Dr. Lees's book in claiming that this scheme would not give greater freedom.