§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the public arrangements and the scale of consultation undertaken by his Department in connection with strategic guidance for London; how many civil servants are involved in his Department; and what is the total budget.
§ Mr. TraceyThe Department is currently consulting the London Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) and other interested bodies on the timing and content of the guidance proposed in my noble Friend, Lord Elton's letter of 24 July to the chairman of LPAC. The Department expects to discuss these proposals with LPAC shortly. There will be wide public consultation on a draft of the guidance in due course.
On staffing, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 October 1985 at column 105. Currently four posts in the unit are filled and a fifth will be filled shortly. The remaining two posts will be taken up as and when the need arises.