HC Deb 19 November 1946 vol 430 cc692-3

The following Questions stood upon the Order Paper:

167. Mr. HARE,—To ask the Minister of Town and Country Planning, when he will publish the recent report of the London Regional Planning Advisory Committee.

172. Mr. GEORGE WALLACE,—To ask the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he will now make a statement regarding the Report on the Greater London Plan of the Advisory Committee for London Regional Planning.

At the end of Questions—

The Minister of Town and Country Planning (Mr. Silkin)

With the permission of the House I should like to answer Questions Nos. 167 and 172. The report is being published and will very shortly be on sale. Copies are available in the Library. The report discloses general acceptance by all the planning authorities of the main outlines of the Abercrombie Plan. The Government are indebted to the committee and to the hon. and Learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. C. Davies) for producing an agreed report in so short a time.

The Government welcome the Report, but there are certain reservations which I must make. The report proposes the accommodation, within the green belt ring, of nearly 160,000 more people than suggested in the plan. The Government have already declared their determination to safeguard this ring in order to stop the continued outward spread of London, and I shall be generally unable to accept these expansions. The road proposals in the report have been considered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, in consultation with myself, and a plan will be issued in due course for the guidance of the Highway and Planning Authorities.

A memorandum will shortly be sent to planning authorities setting out in more detail my views on the report and drawing attention to certain particular problems which are being further investigated by my officers. Modifications to the report may prove necessary from time to time as detailed surveys are carried out. Subject to these reservations, the Abercrombie Plan, together with the Advisory Committee's Report, can now be taken as the general framework for planning in the Greater London Area.

Mr. Gallacher

May I ask that when these statements are being made Ministers should change their method of standing at the Box in order that hon. Members behind can hear what is being said? [HON. MEMBERS: "Speak up."] Since Questions 167 and 172 have been answered' may I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether we cannot also have an answer to Questions 60, 69 and 70 which raise a very important point about finance?

Mr. Speaker

I have ruled several times that hon. Members cannot get up and say, "May my Question be answered because it has not been reached?" Otherwise, we should have no end to hon. Members making a similar request.