§ 14. Mr. Costainasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he has taken into account the Kent County Council's views on the importance of incidence of population between East and West Kent, referred to in observation (e) of the letter addressed to his Department by the County Council on 26th June, 1964.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe County Council's proposals would imply a considerable movement of Kent people from one side of the county to the other, and I am not convinced that this is right. I shall, however, be having further discussions with the Council before long.
§ Mr. CostainDid the Minister hear his Parliamentary Secretary say in answer to an earlier Question that good local government requires to have some authority of its own? Is not his suggestion, that he should overrule the County Council, contrary to his colleague's statement?
§ Mr. CrossmanThe Kent proposals were put up in a criticism of the South-East Plan. I pointed out that I wondered whether they appreciated that if they had their way, 30,000 people would have to be moved from West Kent into East Kent. I doubted whether they would want to go. However, I shall, in the near future, be having consultations with the Home Counties about the whole problem of overspill and the green belt, and I hope to discuss and thrash out these figures with the Council then.