§ 40. Mr. Haymanasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will give directions to planning authorities that in future a slaughterhouse must not be sited in respect of any premises adjoining or forming part of a building used as a dwelling.
§ Mr. BevinsMy right hon. Friend feels that local planning authorities in general can be relied upon to reach sensible decisions about the kind of development which should be sited near dwellings without directions from him.
§ Mr. HaymanWill the hon. Gentleman read the Committee proceedings on the Slaughterhouses Bill? He will find that the Parliamentary Secretary always throws the responsibility on to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. Will he not reconsider his decision to see that this intolerable state of affairs no longer continues?
§ Mr. BevinsMy attention has been drawn to the proceedings of the Bill to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The difficulty arises from the fact that, under that Bill, licensing rests with the district councils whereas planning approval rests with the county council, subject, of course, to delegation. In the case of the hon. Member's own county, delegation is not to the district council but to area subcommittees, on which the district councils are represented. My right hon. Friend is reviewing those powers at the present time.