§ 38. Mr. A. J. Irvineasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs when he expects to make available to the parties to 201 appeals, made to him under Section 16 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, the report of his inspector who held the relevant public local inquiry.
§ Mr. H. BrookeI am in the process of consulting the local authority associations on the terms of a circular to local authorities dealing with this and other points arising from the report of the Franks Committee. I hope that I shall be able to issue the circular later this month. Arrangements for making available copies of inspectors' reports in planning appeals will apply in respect of inquiries held at any time after the issue of the circular.
§ Mr. IrvineI am obliged for that answer, but is it not the case that in November it was stated in another place that the Government hope to put these charges into operation during the course of January? Will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that he will expedite this matter as far as he can?
§ Mr. BrookeI am anxious to expedite this matter. At the same time, the local authorities are closely concerned, and the hon. Gentleman will agree that it is right for me to consult the local authority associations to get their views before actually issuing a circular.