§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his consultations with the Greater London Council concerning Dockland redevelopment.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe authority responsible for the redevelopment of the London Docklands is the Docklands Joint Committee which brings together representatives of its parent local authorities—the Greater London Council and the five London boroughs concerned.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment takes a close 824W and continuous interest in the redevelopment of Docklands. He had a useful meeting with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Docklands Joint Committee in July, and since then he has visited Docklands to see the area for himself and to discuss its redevelopment with the chairman. Senior officials of the Department of the Environment have also visited Docklands recently and discussed aspects of its redevelopment with the Chairman of the Docklands Joint Committee and the Director of the Docklands Development Team. But the main and the continuing point of contact is the Docklands Officers' Steering Group, comprising officials of the six local authorities. Senior officials of the Department attend its monthly meetings.