§ 24. Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he is aware that, in several instances, action has been taken by his officials without consultation with the chairmen of local town-planning committees; and as these committees have worked usefully for many years, and have full knowledge of local conditions, will he see that they are consulted in future?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings (Mr. Hicks)It is, and has been for some years, a standing instruction to all requisitioning officers of the Ministry of Works and Buildings that when searching for sites they should consult with the local planning authorities. If the hon. and gallant Member will give me particulars of any case where such consultation is said not to have taken place, I will certainly make inquiries.
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishIs the hon. Gentleman aware that failure to keep contact and co-operate has occurred in the South-Eastern Region and the district of Tunbridge Wells?
§ 25. Mr. Priceasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether, in view of the importance of future development of urban and rural planning, he proposes to set up an adequate scientific advisory committee for his Department?
§ Mr. HicksMy Noble Friend has from the outset invited the assistance of a consultative panel of persons with special experience of subjects arising in planning, and this panel includes scientific and technical personnel. A list of members of the panel was given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Consett (Mr. David Adams) on 31st July.
§ Mr. PriceHas this panel of experts a right to initiate research in subjects concerning the work of the Ministry, or must they wait until a problem is set before them before they can take action?
§ Mr. HicksI should think that the panel has a perfect right to initiate and make suggestions; otherwise, they are not of much value.