asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the seven authorities at present issuing precepts to the County Borough of Bolton, and state which of these will be able to precept on either Metropolitan District B or the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council after local government reorganisation.

The seven authorities are:

• Bolton and District Joint Sewerage Board.
• Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries Joint Committee.
• Mersey and Weaver River Authority.
• Manchester Corporation: Assize Courts.
• Lancashire South-East Probation Area Committee.
• Lancashire Police Authority.
• S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Authority.

(Source: Bolton County Borough Rate Demand Note.)After local government reorganisation, the functions of the S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Authority and of the Lancashire Police Authority are expected to be taken over by the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council by virtue of the Local Government Bill. Assize courts were abolished under the Courts Act, 1971.The arrangements in the probation service will depend upon the outcome of consultations which the Home Office are conducting with the interested bodies.The Bolton and District Joint Sewerage Board is one of the bodies to be replaced by the proposed regional water authority for the North-West, which will also take over at least some of the functions of the Mersey and Weaver River Authority. In principle the revenues to enable the regional water authority to discharge its main functions are expected to come from charges for the services it provides. The future of sea fisheries committees will have to be reviewed in the light of the reorganisation of local government water services and that review will extend to their precepting powers.