§ Lord Rippon of Hexhamasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take steps to call in the applications for planning permissions now before the Westminster City Council in relation to the development of the Royal Opera House in order to ensure a public inquiry into a scheme which affects a site of national importance.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)No. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave very careful consideration to calling in this application but concluded that he would not be justified in taking the decision out of the hands of the local planning authority.