§ 1. Dr. Grayasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the numbers of town schemes under the Historic Buildings Council now in operation or planned.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Niall MacDermot)Eight schemes are in operation. Arrangements are nearing completion for a further five, and seven, others are under discussion. I will, with permission, circulate a fuller statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT, naming the towns and giving details of the allocation of grant.
§ Dr. GrayI congratulate my hon. and learned Friend on what is being done, but will he say whether the ancient town of Great Yarmouth has a scheme, and also whether there is a scheme for the City of Norwich?
§ Mr. MacDermotNo, neither of those towns is on the list. It is open to any town with a historic area or a number of historic buildings to apply for a town scheme, which will then be considered by the Historic Buildings Council.
§ Following is the information:
| TOWN SCHEMES | ||||||
| 1.Schemes in operation | ||||||
| Annual Allocation by Minister | Minister | Percentage of costs payable Local Authority | Owner | |||
| £ | ||||||
| Bath | … | … | 10,000 | 50 | 25 (County Borough) | 25 |
| Bradford on Avon, Wilts. | 2,000 | 25 | 25 (County and U.D.C. jointly) | 50 | ||
| Brighton | … | … | 1,000 | (Equal parts Minister and County Borough) | Various | |
| Cheltenham | … | … | 5,000 | 25 | 25 (County and Borough Council jointly) | 50 |
| Faversham, Kent | … | … | 500 | 25 | 25 (Borough Council) | 50 |
| Harwich | … | … | 2,000 | 16.⅔ | 83.⅓ (All buildings owned by Borough Council) | — |
| Winchester | … | … | 4,000 | 25 | 25 (County and City Council jointly) | 50 |
| York | … | … | 7,500 | 25 | 25 (County Borough) | 50 |
| 32,000 | ||||||
| 2.Schemes where arrangements are nearing completion | ||||||
| Berwick upon Tweed (County and Borough Councils). | ||||||
| Bewdley (County and Borough Councils). | ||||||
| Leamington Spa (Borough Council). | ||||||
| Salisbury (County and City Councils). | ||||||
| Stamford (County and Borough Councils). | ||||||
| 3.Schemes under discussion | ||||||
| Abingdon (County and Borough Councils). | ||||||
| Bocking, Essex (County and Urban District Councils with co-operation of Civic Society). | ||||||
| Chatham (Borough Council—and possibly Civic Trust). | ||||||
| King's Lynn: Revival of earlier scheme (County and Borough Councils). | ||||||
| Lincoln (County Borough Council). | ||||||
| Shepton Mallet, Somerset (the U.D.C). | ||||||
| Thaxted, Essex (County Council and Dunmow R.D.C.). |