§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the future of Scotland's new towns; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe Government's policy for the future of the new towns in Scotland was set out in the policy statement of September 1981 and confirmed in my right hon. Friend's announcement of his conclusions following consultation on that document in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, East (Mr. Henderson) on 23 July 1982. It remains the Government's view that the new towns should continue to maintain their considerable contribution to industrial growth and increased employment opportunities and that none of the development corporations should be wound up before the end of the 1980s.—[Vol. 28, c.313–314.]
§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to the new town development corporations on future house construction; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherI have recently confirmed the view set out in the Government's policy statement of September 1981 that new house-building in the new towns must be undertaken increasingly by the private sector. The obvious exception will be the special needs category, for which new housing to rent will still be built by the development corporations. In pursuit of that objective, the development corporation has been asked for detailed proposals on how it can help to provide the housing required for the continued expansion of its new towns.