§ 24. Dame Irene Wardasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when his bulletin on the preservation of historic town centres will be published; what letters he has received on the possible transfer of gem towns from the local planning authority; and whether he will make a statement on the action he proposes in this regard.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe bulletin is now being drafted, but I cannot say yet when it will be ready for publication.
Only the Council for British Archaeology have so far written to me to suggest that responsibility for the more important historic towns should be transferred from the local planning authorities. I am very doubtful whether this would be right, since preservation is so closely bound up with other planning problems.