EARL JELLICOEasked Her Majesty's Government:
What they are doing to secure the preservation of towns, villages and buildings of special architectural and historic interest.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My right honourable friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government has recently set up a Preservation Policy Group, under my chairmanship, with the following terms of reference:
- 1. To co-ordinate the special studies of historic areas in five towns recently announced by the Minister, and to consider the results.
- 2. To review experience of action to preserve the character of other historic towns.
- 3. To consider measures adopted in other countries for preserving the character of historic towns and villages, and their effects.
596 - 4. To consider, in the light of the foregoing, what changes are desirable in current legal, financial and administrative arrangements for preservation, including the planning and development aspects, and to make recommendations.
The Group comprises the following members, in addition to officers of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Ministry of Transport:
Mr. H. J. Buck (Partner, Messrs. Hillier, Parker, May and Rowden),
Mr. Theo Crosby (Messrs. Crosby, Fletcher, Forbes—Designers and Architects),
Professor Alan Day (Professor of Economics, London School of Economics),
Mr. R. H. McCall (Town Clerk, Winchester),
Professor Nikolaus Pevsner (Professor of History of Art, University of London),
Mr. A. A. Wood (City Planning Officer, Norwich).
The Consultants engaged on the historic town studies will also be closely associated with the work of the Group.
The Group has already started work.
House adjourned at a quarter before six o'clock.