§ 1. Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning how far he requires local authorities who have the responsibility of carrying out the Town and Country Planning Acts to select for positions where architectural decisions have to be made only individuals who possess the official recognition of one of the statutory bodies who grant recognition of such professional qualifications.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Town and Country Planning (Mr. King)My right hon. Friend has no power to impose such requirements on local authorities.
§ Mr. BossomIs not the Minister perpetrating the thing he is trying to avoid, when he insists on incompetent people deciding on architectural subjects about which they know nothing at all? Is he aware that men like Michael Angelo, Sir Christopher Wren and Sir Edwin Lutyens all said that the circular window was very satisfactory and yet one of his representatives said it was totally undesirable? Is not this very unsatisfactory?
§ Mr. KingI hesitate to say of how much of that my right hon. Friend is aware, but in fact nearly all local authorities do employ such architects and such advice is already given to such authorities. This is simply a question of law and there is no legal power to do what the hon. Gentleman requires.
§ Mr. Manningham-BullerWhere an architect is not so employed, will the Minister of Town and Country Planning 1878 recommend to the local authority that one should be so employed?
§ Mr. KingI should be most interested if the hon. and learned Gentleman could give me a case where an architect is not employed.