§ 57. Mr. Holtasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will introduce legislation to enable grants to be paid to firms which are faced with excessive expenditure to comply with present requirements for smoke control.
§ Sir K. JosephNo. I have seen no evidence to suggest that such legislation is necessary.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will make a statement about the smoke-control programmes submitted to him by local authorities in England and Wales in response to his Department's Circular No. 4/62.
§ Sir K. JosephThe local authorities concerned are those in the black areas, England and Wales. The programmes have been published today as a Command Paper (Cmnd. 1890).
Many black area authorities plan to move fast, and they can rely on my support and encouragement. There are still nearly 40 black area authorities whose programmes are expected to take another 15 years or more to complete, and I am asking these authorities whether their programmes cannot be carried through more quickly, I regret that a considerable number of black area authorities have not yet prepared programmes of smoke control, and these authorities are being asked to consider most carefully whether their failure to prepare programmes is consistent with the health and wellbeing of their communities.