HC Deb 06 May 1981 vol 4 cc71-2W
Mr. Millan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached as a result of his consideration of the recommendations for changes in procedure made in the Halliday report.

Mr. Younger

I have now considered the recommendations in consultation with other interested Departments and have accepted them, with only minor modifications, except for certain procedural points on establishing the planning status of land. I consider it necessary for the district valuer to approach both district and regional councils when attempting to determine the planning potential of land in those cases where a decision on its development might be either a district or a regional matter. I also consider that in the case of conditional offers for purchase of land the would-be purchaser should retain

people; what percentage each of these represented; and what was the percentage change from the previous year in each case.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies at each employment exchange in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area there were in April of each of the past five years.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The information is set out in the table below:

his right of appeal against a planning authority's decision. I further consider that I should be enabled to give an opinion on the planning potential of land in any case where there is a difference of view between my Department and the planning authority. It seems to me to be important in these ways to provide a mechanism for resolving differences of view on the planning potential of land which is being disposed of.

I should specifically record my acceptance of the recommendation for the increased employment of selling agents in appropriate cases. In the light of these decisions work is now in hand on revision of the Scottish health building code, part 3—land transactions procedures.

I again record my gratitude to Professor Halliday for the very helpful guidance in his report.