§ 15. Mr. Millanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to increase the rate of house building by new town development corporations.
§ Mr. MaclayMy noble Friend the Minister of State has already met the chairmen of East Kilbride and Cumbernauld new town development corporations on this question. He proposes shortly to have a further discussion at a joint meeting with the three corporations.
§ Mr. MillanIs it not disturbing that figures for new towns for the third quarter of the current year for both houses completed and the number of houses under construction at the end of the period show substantial reductions? Now that the Secretary of State for Scotland has, after a long and unnecessary delay, granted the principle of a fourth new town for Scotland, will he not do something about speeding up the programme of existing new town development corporations, with particular reference to Glasgow's overspill problem?
§ Mr. MaclayI said that the Minister of State for Scotland is discussing the possibility of speeding up programmes. I do not accept the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question when he said that there was an unnecessary delay in going on with a fourth new town, because I am certain that if we had made the decision earlier it might well have been the wrong decision.