To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much time he has allowed for consultation with local authorities in Wales on local government reorganisation; and what consideration he has given to whether the time is adequate.

We have allowed 4½ months from the date of publication of our consultation paper, "The Structure of Local Government in Wales", for the preparation of responses. We consider that this period is entirely adequate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consult other representative bodies in Wales, in addition to local authorities, on local government reorganisation in the same manner that representative bodies were consulted on the Kilbrandon report in 1974.

We have distributed our consultation paper on "The Structure of Local Government in Wales" to a large number of bodies and persons inside and outside local government, and we will consider all submissions on these matters which are put to us.