§ Mr. StringerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made towards national coverage of local plans and unitary development plans. [23806]
§ Mr. RaynsfordMy Department has published a report today which gives details of progress made towards adoption of plans by individual local authorities in England. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House. AT the end of December 1997, 53 per cent. of local authorities had an adopted Local Plan or Unitary Development Plan in place. Measures to speed up the procedures under which such plans are prepared and adopted were included in the statement on Modernising Planning issued by my hon. Friend the Minister for Regions, Regeneration and Planning on 15 January 1998,Official Report, column 262.