§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will complete the updating of the strategic plan for the South East; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John SilkinIn November last year I announced that I had invited the South East Economic Planning Council and the Standing Conference on London and South East Regional Planning to join with my Department in updating and further developing the Strategic Plan. I said then that the broad principles for the development of the region which were set out in the plan remained valid; there have been no subsequent reasons to change that view.
A professional team was set up to undertake the study in January of this year. It consisted of staff with a wide range of relevant disciplines drawn jointly from both my Department and from the Standing Conference, together with several officers seconded from county councils. Other Government Departments are closely associated with the work. The team are concentrating on seven main areas of study—the South East economy, resources, housing, land, population, transportation and the implementation of the strategy. The interrelationship of problems in Greater London with those in the rest of the South East Region is being examined as a general theme running throughout all studies.
These studies deal with interlocking issues and it would be misleading to publish them in isolation. I am hoping, however, that it will be possible to produce an interim report early in 1976. The intention is to complete the final report, which will be made public for wide consultation, towards the middle of next year. The planning authorities are being kept in close touch with the progress of the study through the standing conference.