HC Deb 18 June 1968 vol 766 cc901-2
9. Mr. Silvester

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure the recruitment of sufficient planners to meet the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Bill.

Mr. MacDermot

At my right hon. Friend's request, the University Grants Committee has made provision for a substantial increase in the number of university places for students of planning. They expect to see an extra 250 full-time and 250 part-time places by 1972. Additional places will also be available outside the universities.

Mr. Silvester

Will the Minister bear in mind that he needs to secure recruitment from the schools to these extra university places and that his chief planner has expressed concern at the possibility of there not being sufficient planners to put new legislation into operation? Does he feel that these new plans are sufficient for his foreseeable requirements?

Mr. MacDermot

We share the concern expressed by the chief planner. It is for that reason that we took these steps and we hope by 1974 to have doubled the number of qualified planners in this country. As for the new planning system, I hope that as a result of it we will make better use of qualified planning staff and reduce the work on detailed matters, because this will tend to alleviate rather than aggravate the shortage of planners.

Sir Frank Pearson

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise that the quality of these recruits is of vital importance if the whole operation is to be successful? Would he agree that it is better to wait until we can obtain recruits of the right quality than to rush the process and take in men who may not come up to the highest standard?

Mr. MacDermot

I do not see how one can attract more recruits unless one makes places available for them.