asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether, in view of housing needs, he will give an assurance that he will not sanction the use of planning powers by the Central Electricity Generating Board to prevent the erection of caravan sites in the vicinity of their generating stations.

The Central Electricity Generating Board has no powers to control development near its generating stations. This is a matter for the local planning authorities. My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power are, however, arranging that they should both be consulted by the local planning authorities before permission for certain kinds of development near nuclear power stations is given.

There seems to be a farcical situation growing up here. Will my hon. Friend look into it? The board is buying out potential caravan sites near nuclear power stations. Is it not high time that there was a reappraisal of planning, building and normal development near these sorts of structure?

I must repeat that the Electricity Generating Board has no power of control in the planning sense. Control rests with the planning authorities. My right hon. Friend proposes to give some guidance to planning authorities on the matter in the near future.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether there exists any arrangement for regular meetings of the Easington Rural District Council and the Peterlee Parish Council with the Peterlee Corporation on matters concerning the new town in which the local authorities have an interest; and if he is aware that the Corporation has refused to meet the Peterlee Parish Council.

My right hon. Friend understands that meetings with the development corporation or their officers are arranged quite frequently to discuss questions connected with the functions of either council. He understands, however, that the corporation considers it inappropriate to discuss rent policy with the parish council, and on this he is disposed to agree with the Corporation.

Apart from consultations on rent policy, which, after all, concern the parish council as an elected body, is the hon. Gentleman aware that my information is that the parish council has frequently approached the corporation for consultations on important matters but the corporation has refused to see it? Will the hon. Gentleman suggest to his right hon. Friend that he might advise the corporation, in the interests of good relations in the area, that it might see the parish council when it asks?

If that is so, my right hon. Friend will consider the matter. However, my information is that there have been five meetings of officers with the parish council in the past year and a number of more infrequent informal meetings before that. I will look into the matter.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the price paid to Mr. James Lee in 1957 by the Crawley Development Corporation in respect of 174 acres of property known as Little Buckswood Farm; what has been the cost of developing this land since that date; what was the price obtained for it when it was recently sold for building purposes by the development corporation; if he will make a statement about the size of the profit made.

When Mr. Lee served a notice on the corporation requiring it to buy all his land it paid him £13,500 for the freehold of 179 acres plus £711 for loss of crops, tenant right and other disturbance. The combined cost to the corporation of buying and developing this particular area is estimated at about £4,500 per acre. My right hon. Friend does not think it right to disclose the price paid by a private builder for the 31 acres recently sold by the corporation because he thinks the builder is entitled to regard this as confidential. I can, however, say that the element of profit to the corporation was very modest.

Why does my hon. Friend seek to conceal this figure from the House? Surely it is right for us to know whether the profit is modest or not. Further, does he appreciate that it is commonly considered in Crawley that those who helped the Crawley Development Corporation and made no trouble received far less compensation than those who dug in their heels and eventually had to be winkled out? Will my hon. Friend consider the matter again and ensure that justice is done?

I understand the strong feelings about this in any case of purchase by a new town corporation, but this was a commercial transaction, and the development corporation is obliged to get the best market price. I was able to assure my hon. Friend that in this case the element of profit was very modest. With regard to my hon. Friend's allegation that a different price was paid to those people who co-operated from that which was paid to those who did not co-operate so freely with the Crawley Development Corporation, I assure him that the corporation must take the advice of the district valuer, and his advice is bound to be of the same order in each case, whatever the character of the transaction.

Would the hon. Gentleman tell us why only a small profit was made? The development corporation added enormously to the value of this land by its efforts and not by the farmers' efforts. Why is it inhibited from taking the value which it has created?

The development corporation is not inhibited. In this case, evidently, it happened that the cost of making the land available was not very much below the market value of the land when sold.

Since the Government's lack of policy has turned buying and selling land into a lottery, is it not gratifying that occasionally a public corporation wins some of the prizes?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he took, before granting planning permission for the development of an open space on the Regina Crescent estate, Newstead, to ascertain the views of the owners of other land on the estate.

My right hon. Friend was informed by the local authority that adjoining owners were likely to object to development of the land, and he took this into account before reaching his decision.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that under the procedure followed in this case under Section 19 of the Act there was no opportunity for the house owners on adjoining land, who had been led to believe that this open space would be permanently retained as such, to cross-examine witnesses or to present their objections to the Ministry inspector? As the Minister must have made his decision without being in possession of all the facts, will he reconsider the matter?

The answer to the last part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question is, "No, Sir". The question before my right hon. Friend was whether the land would be capable of reasonably beneficial use to the owner. As a result of a hearing of the two parties, he was satisfied that it was not. Therefore, he had only to decide whether, bearing in mind the known attitude of the neighbours—and their attitude was known—he should allow some beneficial use or force the local authority, which did not want to buy the land, to purchase it.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the hon. Gentleman's reply, I give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what action he proposes to take to assist local authorities in the capital expenditure involved in comprehensive urban renewal.

My right hon. Friend is not clear that local authorities should require any assistance for this purpose over and above that given.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that many schemes will not be as comprehensive nor satisfactory from the traffic and social planning points of view as they should be unless local authorities have financial help with the initial acquisition and development of these schemes? Has the Minister yet examined the possibility of making loans available with the payment of interest suspended for the initial period?

The hon. Lady should remember that the taxpayer is already providing considerable help for comprehensive development through the general grant and through assistance to housing, particularly where the sites are expensive, and by way of a contribution to classified roads. In addition, the local authorities can expect to get a good price from letting the bulk of the development put up in comprehensive redevelopment. However, my right hon. Friend is considering the whole of this complex matter and is looking at all the ideas. I did not mention the question of deferring interest because I did not think that, although it might be helpful in many cases, it was the sort of assistance which the hon. Lady had in mind.

Is my hon. Friend aware that, finance apart, there is overwhelming evidence of the need for more guidance in this matter by a number of local authorities? Are any steps being taken to issue such guidance on consultation with the principal authorities concerned for central redevelopment?

Yes, Sir. My right right hon. Friend is studying this subject in conjunction with his right hon. Friends most directly concerned in order to provide guidance to local authorities who are constantly consulting his Department and are therefore receiving guidance continuously. But he has in mind more formal methods of guidance in due course when these consultations are complete.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, even if he does not appreciate that local authorities need assistance, the Civic Trust does appreciate it? Is he further aware that one of the problems is that, if a local authority is to plan redevelopment prudently, it must lock up its resources for a long time and therefor it needs assistance?

The ideas of the Civic Trust in this field are particularly being studied by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many local authorities have now made representations to him with regard to the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London; and what have been his replies.

One hundred and twenty-three local authorities have made representations. They have been told that their views will be taken into account in the Government's consideration of the Royal Commission's Report.

In view of the far-reaching and controversial nature of the Commission's Report, should not there be an opportunity of a debate on the Floor of the House to ascertain the views of hon. Members before the Minister comes to a decision on the Report?

I will refer that point to my right hon. Friend.