§ Miss Joan Hallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the importance of the growing amount of 512W leisure time, what further steps are being taken to ensure that local resources are being fully used.
§ Mr. RipponMuch is already being done in the leisure field by Government Departments, local authorities, the arts and sports councils and the countryside commissions, to name only the most important of those concerned. However, we believe that one way to further progress may be in locally-led campaigns to bring together and develop a full range of leisure resources—cultural, recreational and sporting. My noble Friend the Paymaster-General and I have therefore invited two local authorities in England to join with the regional arts associations and the regional sports councils in carrying out two-year experiments along these lines. The aim will be to bring in as many as possible of the local organisations and interests concerned—commercial and industrial as well as public and voluntary. The selected towns are Stoke-on-Trent and Sunderland. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have invited the appropriate bodies to carry out similar experiments within the West Dunbartonshire area in Scotland and the Flintshire area in Wales. We hope that with the co-operation of all concerned action will start shortly. The results will be written up in a report for general publication.