HC Deb 20 January 1971 vol 809 cc1058-60
30. Sir B. Rhys Williams

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the long-term policy of the Government in respect of new town corporations and the New Towns Commission; and if he will make a statement.

31. Mr. Bray

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to give control of the assets and property of new town corporations to local authorities.

48. Mr. Allason

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy with regard to the retention of the Commission for New Towns.

Mr. Channon

I fully expect that developments under the New Towns Act will continue as an element in national and regional strategies, but I shall look for greater participation by private capital and a much higher level of owner-occupation. I have no plans to legislate for the transfer of new town assets to local authorities. The Commission have an important continuing task and I envisage the future transfer to them of other new towns as development corporations complete their tasks.

Sir B. Rhys Williams

Is my hon. Friend aware that the House will welcome the Government's interest in giving an opportunity to private enterprise to take part in the development of new towns? Will he also bear in mind the importance at the planning stage of taking account of the interests of local residents?

Mr. Channon

Yes, certainly. I agree with everything my hon. Friend says and I take note of the points he makes.

Mr. Bray

I thank the Minister for his encouraging reply. In the interim could he make houses in development areas available on preferential terms on the same basis as occurs in Skelmersdale?

Mr. Channon

Perhaps I could look at the specific case and at the point about Skelmersdale.

Mr. Allason

In view of the anxiety of the local authorities to take over the assets of the New Towns Commission, is my hon. Friend satisfied that the assets are properly valued? If they are valued at book value they become a very attractive proposition, but if they are valued at current market value they are not quite so attractive.

Mr. Channon

My hon. Friend puts his finger on an important point. If there were any question of a transfer to the local authorities the valuation of these assets would be an extremely difficult and complicated matter.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Is the Minister aware that there will be great anxieties about the implications of what he said about the future of the new towns and their relationship to local authorities? Many of us are concerned that there should be proper democratic control in some of these cases. Would he not agree there is a need for some debate about this matter?

Mr. Channon

It is certainly a very important matter on which hon. Members will wish to express views. But I do not think there is any doubt that there has been some prolonged uncertainty, and my right hon. Friend and I wish to see the New Towns Commission retained.

Mr. Tebbit

Is my hon. Friend aware that his reply will give great comfort to those of us who feel that the local councils have special qualities and structures which suit them for local government, but that they are not factors which suit them to run such major business enterprises as new towns?

Mr. Channon

I appreciate what my hon. Friend says and I should like to say how much I enjoyed the visit to Harlow New Town which I had the pleasure of making recently.

Mr. Freeson

Can we not get the record clear? May we be clearly told whether this is a continuing decision or a provisional decision—as to whether this is a retention of these assets in the New Towns Commission, or whether there is an intention to review the matter and pursue it with the possibility of passing over assets to local authorities in future?

Mr. Channon

My right hon. Friends have decided that the New Towns Commission should remain and we envisage that future transfer to it of other towns would be done as the development corporations complete their task.