§ 12. Mr. Arthur Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to speed up the procedure for the approval of structure plans.
§ Mr. FreesonYes. There must be a cohesive system of up-to-date plans, and the essential step now is to speed up their preparation and approval.
§ Mr. JonesI understand that fewer than half of the 45 plans have yet been approval, and that in April and May this year about 10 were approved but that that had taken more than four years from the date of their submission. Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that there is an over-elaborate inspection of plans in his Department? Does he not agree that the whole procedure needs speeding up because circumstances can change so much by the time approval comes?
§ Mr. FreesonI accept the general point that the hon. Gentleman is putting. There has been a slow take-off since the legislation was passed which produced the present system. However, the question that has often been put to me, and which may underlie the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question and his original Question, is whether one should change the system now. I have come to the firm judgment that it would be counter-productive to alter the system as a result of any major review that would hold things up for a long time to come. I am, therefore, concentrating my attention on trying to improve procedures now and to improve the follow-up on the preparation and approval of local plans. Work is in hand on that.
§ Mrs. Kellett-BowmanThe Minister referred to speed. Is he aware of the allegation in The Times of 31st October that there is in the Department of Transport a deliberate attempt to rig public inquiry procedures? Will he institute an investigation to find out the truth or falsehood of that allegation?
§ Mr. FreesonI shall have to draw the attention of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to the allegations quoted by the hon. Lady.