§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those applications for out-of-town retail developments of (a) below 250,000 sq ft and (b) above 250,000 sq ft currently before his Department.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe information requested is being prepared and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is considering issuing new guidelines to local authorities concerning large retail developments proposed in inner-city areas; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will set out his Department's guidelines concerning proposed retail developments which could affect the vitality and viability of town or city centres as a whole; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegravePolicy on major retail development is set out in the circular issued jointly by my Department and the Welsh Office last December—DOE circular 21/86, Welsh Office 58/86. That circular includes the text of a statement made on 5 July 1985 by the then Secretary of State for the Environment about the possible impact of new retail developments on the vitality and viability of existing town centres.
§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to undertake studies into the employment displacement effects caused by the development of large retail outlets in out-of-town areas.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Department does not fund any such studies at present, but is aware of other research in progress on this subject—for example, the study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council into the impact of the Gateshead Metro centre on Tyneside.