§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation which would alter the present position of proposals to make test bores for nuclear waste, for research and for uranium mining so that such proposals would become permitted development in terms of the Town and Country 145W Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 without need for approval by planning authorities or planning inquiries.
§ Mr. RifkindThe committee on planning control over mineral working—the Stevens committee—recommended that investigatory operations for minerals should become permitted development subject to the right of the planning authority to require an application to be submitted. My right hon. Friend is considering this recommendation in the context of a revision of the Town and Country Planning (General Development) (Scotland) Order 1975. He does not propose to alter the planning position of proposals to investigate the suitability of sites for the deposit of radioactive waste.