§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is aware that it is taking more than nine months in some areas between making compulsory purchase orders in slum clearance areas and the holding of the public local inquiry by the Department of the Environment and that this is delaying rehousing; what steps he will take to end these delays; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what progress he is making towards ending the shortage of inspectors to undertake public local inquiries after compulsory purchase orders have been made; and how long he anticipates it will take to end the shortage.
§ Mr. Graham PageI am aware of and regret the delays and am urgently recruiting additional inspectors to overcome them. Since last August 55 new inspectors have been recruited and a further 30 are expected to join the Department shortly. These inspectors will be available to deal with casework arising under both housing and town and country planning legislation. Meanwhile the Department has agreed advance bookings for programmes of inquiries with some 14 major housing authorities and is prepared to extend these arrangements to other authorities who have heavy slum clearance programmes.