§ 14. Dr. Grayasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what is his policy with regard to the undertaking by the East Anglian Planning Council of physical and land use planning and the decisions upon growth points within the region.
§ Mr. Shore'The Planning Council's job is to adivse on a general framework for the future economic development of East Anglia within which sensible planning decisions can be taken by all concerned.
§ Dr. GrayApart from assurances to the local authorities of full consultation, will my hon. Friend give an assurance that such powers as local authorities have on physical planning will not be diminished or taken from them and transferred to this unrepresentative and non-elected body?
§ Mr. ShoreYes, Sir, I give that undertaking. There is no intention to take from local authorities their planning powers. If I may put it in this way, the Regional Planning Council's concern is the broad strategy of economic and 1813 physical planning, not detailed and physical land use planning which properly belongs to the local authorities.