§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to relax building, fire and planning regulations which impede the speedy development of decaying urban areas in major town and cities.
§ Mr. HeseltineI hope to publish proposals to reduce the scope of planning controls shortly. We are also taking a fundamental look at our system of building control. Though we intend to
North West WA Yorkshire WA Financial year RWSS Acts 1944–71 LEA 1972 RWSS Acts 1944–71 LEA 1972 £ £ £ £ 1977–78 … 356,811 510,461 413,340 — 1978–79 … 357,670 429,099 378,890 134,585 1979–80 (so far) … 426,147 153,038 178,755 —
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the high rate of sewer collapse in the areas served by the North-West water authority and the West Yorkshire water authority, whether he has any plans to increase the Government grants made available to them so as to enable a speeding up of the sewer replacement/modernisation programme.
§ Mr. FoxThere is no provision for special Government grants to water authorities for this purpose, and no plans to introduce them. Any application by the North-West or Yorkshire water authority for such aid would be considered on its merits, but it would be premature for me to make any commitment now.