§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of the skills seminar on urban design held on 13 July; and if he will place in the Library copies of the papers arising. [131992]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe seminar which I chaired considered how to raise the level of urban design skills in the light of the recommendations of the Urban Taskforce. It drew on findings from two research projects commissioned earlier this year. These reviewed provision of training for urban design and the availability of design 389W skills in local planning authorities in England. Copies of the reports, delegate pack and DETR news release have been placed in the Library of the House.
Participants at the seminar agreed to set up a working party, to be chaired by Sir Stuart Lipton, chair of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, to consider how to train a new generation of urban designers. Its members will be drawn from the key professional institutions and it will promote a new multi-disciplinary approach to training in design.