§ Mrs. Hartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider publishing a White Paper on the reasons for the important change in Government strategic planning represented by his abandonment of Stonehouse New Town, and summarised in one sentence of his statement on 12th May.
§ Mr. MillanI do not think that a White Paper is required. There has been growing recognition of the crucial importance of urban renewal since the "Areas of Need" reports, prepared by the former Glasgow Corporation in 1972, and the West Central Scotland Plan reports. A series of planning policy reports prepared by Glasgow Corporation and District Council were accepted in principle by Ministers in December 1974 as the basis for an action plan for the city. The regional council, with its new strategic planning function, put forward recently its view that there is a fundamental need to conserve Strathclyde's existing social and economic resources, and that development of Stonehouse New Town was not compatible with that requirement.
My decision on Stonehouse attempted to take account of factors such as these.