§ 4. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make a statement on building land problems in south-east Lancashire and on the proposals for a new town there.
§ Mr. BrookeI have put in hand, with the help of the local planning authorities, a detailed study of housing land requirements in south-east Lancashire and the adjoining parts of Cheshire. Until this is completed the hon. member will appreciate that I cannot form a view on proposals for a new town.
§ Mr. AllaunI appreciate that. Is the Minister aware of the very strong feeling in Lancashire that only Government action can solve this problem and that in its absence the City of Manchester, for example, is being forced to deal with no fewer than 14 different local authorities in an attempt to solve its tragic housing situation?
§ Mr. BrookeAs the hon. Member probably knows, I made a special visit to Manchester last Tuesday and had full discussions with the authorities about their problems. At the moment, they are not held up by lack of land. But I did express the view then that we must make sure that the necessary housing progress does not falter for lack of land, either in the 1960s or the 1970s.