§ 32. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the Official Report a copy of the letter sent by him to the chief executive of the London borough of Newham on 21 April regarding the Newham North East London Polytechnic Compulsory Purchase Order 1980; and what were the detailed reasons why it took him from May 1980 to April 1983 to reach this decision.
§ Mr. WaldegraveNo. I have already sent the hon. Member a copy of the letter in question, which conveyed my right hon. Friend's rejection of the compulsory purchase order on the grounds that it was premature. The time taken to complete consideration of the order was required to give the joint education committee for the North East London polytechnic a chance to propose revisions to the polytechnic's development plan in the light of changing circumstances; and to consider objections to the order, and the London borough of Newham's responses to requests for clarification.