§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to seek to amend the planning process so as to encourage investment in development in the less prosperous regions of Britain.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Government has taken a range of measures to improve the efficiency of the planning system and to facilitate development in areas where it is needed. These are summarised in the White Paper "Building Businesses…not Barriers" (Cmnd 9794) published in May 1986. Action since then includes legislation to set up simplified planning zones, and the decision to set up four new urban development corporations, in Greater Manchester, in the black country, on Teeside and in Tyne and Wear. In the 1987–88 allocations of derelict land grant 92 per cent. is for expenditure in the northern and midland regions.