§ Mrs. Ann Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made in speeding up planning procedures so as to ensure that there is no undue delay in house building programmes.
§ Mr. John SilkinCircular 171/74 said that priority should be given to planning applications for housing, and, as my right hon. Friend told my hon. Friend on 27th January—[Vol. 885, c. 43–4.]—local authorities will be urged to handle planning applications for housing development quickly. In addition I shall be considering very carefully the recommendations designed to accelerate decisions on planning applications in general contained in the final report of Mr. George Dobry, QC, on his Review of the Development Control System.