§ 43. Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current number of people employed by local government in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. KingThe latest date for which figures for the United Kingdom are available is June 1979. Following is the information:
vital contribution in inner cities. I wrote on 7 November to the chairmen of seven major private sector organisations, inviting them to urge their members to become involved with the work of the partnerships at local level. I believe this can best be done without adding them to the membership of the partnership committees themselves. We are aiming to reduce their size and the bureaucracy that goes with them.
§ 69. Mr. Silvesterasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that delays in the preparation of individual local council plans do not delay private developments in partnership areas
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§ Mr. KingAn emerging statutory local plan is relevant to the exercise of development control but should not be a cause of delay in reaching a decision on a development proposal. Authorities m partnership areas are well aware of my views that private development can make its own effective contribution to the regeneration of inner city areas. Inner city authorities need to do what they can to create the right climate for enterprise. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind I shall be interested to have the particulars.
§ 77. Dr. Mawhinneyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to see that the expertise and knowledge acquired during the establishment of the new towns is made available to the inner cities and other conurbations.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineI refer my hon. Friend to my reply earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) and for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Lyell).