§ 16. Mr. James Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received the Bellshill town map; what proposals he has made; and what financial assistance will be given to implement it.
§ Mr. YoungerThe town map for Bells-hill was submitted by Lanark County Council in May 1969. A public inquiry into objections was held in April 1971; my right hon. Friend received the report on it in January 1972; and in April he issued his decision generally approving the land uses proposed. An application for planning grants has just been received and is being examined.
§ Mr. HamiltonI thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply, but as he has stated to us that the plan has been there since 1969 it means in essence four years lost in implementing it. Is he aware that not only in Bellshill but in other parts of my constituency and beyond it the local authority is very much concerned that this town map should be implemented as soon as possible? Will he tell the local authorities that he is prepared to give them every possible assistance in expediting implementation?
§ Mr. YoungerI am grateful to the hon. Member for what he says. I know that he has a very close interest in the subject. He will know, I think, that when the Bellshill town map was submitted, several town maps were submitted to the Lanarkshire County Council which was, naturally, not able to service more than one major inquiry at a time. This meant 1353 that inquiries had to take place in sequence. There was a further delay at Bellshill due to a misunderstanding by objectors about the date of the inquiry. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that we will give every possible attention as soon as possible to the applications we now receive.