§ 80. Mr. Snowasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether the Rugeley Urban District Council was one of the consenting parties to the arrangement authorised by him whereby planning applications in respect of Slitting Middle and Elching Hill, Rugeley, are sent to him direct; how many applications have been received; and whether he will approve these applications so as to avoid the unnecessary delays and the loss of the good building weather.
§ Mr. RipponA direction calling in a planning application for the Minister's decision does not require anyone else's consent. My right hon. Friend has called in ten such applications in respect of Slitting Mill and Etching Hill. He refused permission for three on 13th November last year. The other seven are now before him and he will decide them as soon as the facts become clear from the representations of the parties.