HC Deb 19 May 1982 vol 24 cc335-6
5. Mr. Stevens

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with progress in the liberalisation of planning procedures within the major towns and cities.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Giles Shaw)

There has been welcome progress in speeding up planning decisions but more could still be done. In several towns enterprise zones have been established where there is broad freedom from control, and urban development corporations have been set up to promote development in the London and Merseyside Docklands. More generally we are seeking to ensure that permissions for development are not unreasonably withheld, particularly where it will bring jobs and benefit to the local economy.

Mr. Stevens

I think that we all recognise the work that the Government have done in trying to reduce red tape. They have also reduced the staff of the Department. What can my hon. Friend do to reduce the extent of bureaucracy elsewhere? Is he aware that there are 400 architects in Manchester and 350 planners in Birmingham? Can we do anything to reduce those numbers?

Mr. Winnick

Sack the lot.

Mr. Shaw

My hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Stevens) will be aware that there are sufficient pressures on local authorities to reduce costs and to cause them to examine all posts. We intend to ensure that many more local authorities come within the eight weeks' advice period that we offer for planning applications as set out in the development control programme.

Mr. Pitt

Is the Minister aware that the Financial Times last Thursday reported that his right hon. Friend intends to introduce a special Bill to enable normal planning procedures for the European Ferries site at Vauxhall to be circumvented so that work can begin more quickly?

Mr. Shaw

My right hon. Friend announced last evening that he intends to lay an order before the House for that purpose.

Mr. Eastham

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that Manchester city council architects provide a service for the 10 surrounding districts and carry out architectural works for the police, the health authorities and numerous other services that are not within the city?

Mr. Shaw

I trust that means that there will never be any delays in the processing of planning applications in Manchester.

Mr. Chapman

As a non-practising architect and planner, may I ask whether my hon. Friend agrees with the general proposition that it is not the liberalisation of planning procedures or the amending of town and country planning Acts that is necessary, but the application of those Acts and regulations by those in planning offices? Will he keep an eye on the quickening of the determination of such planning applications? Will he also bear in mind that there is great support for using special planning procedures in special cases to encourage development, such as that which is to take place on the Vauxhall site?

Mr. Shaw

I welcome my hon. Friend's comment in support of the special development order procedure. He will recognise that it is and must remain a rare procedure. I am delighted to report that the latest figures for the October to December quarter show that 70 per cent. of planning applications were decided in eight weeks, as against 64 per cent. in the previous quarter.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. It is high time that I made another appeal for shorter supplementary questions.