§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the visit of the Minister of Housing and Construction to Merseyside.
§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his meeting with councillors from the Wirral last week to discuss their inner area programme.
§ Mr. FreesonI visited the Wirral on Thursday 11th May. In the morning I met representatives and officers of the Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, the Merseyside County Council and the Wirral Area Health Authority to discuss the progress being made in the preparation of the Wirral's first inner area programme. The discussions were very helpful in explaining the approach adopted by the borough council to the analysis of needs and determination of priorities.
In the afternoon I had a meeting with representatives of all the district councils in Merseyside and Cheshire, together with observers from the two county councils, about the operation of housing strategy and investment programmes. There was a useful exchange of views, which should help both central and local government in working and improving the system.