asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet completed his consultations with the local authorities about the date of transfer of Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield to the Commission for the New Towns.

Yes. After considering fully and sympathetically the representations of the Hatfield Rural District Council in favour of further planned expansion, I have reached the conclusion that they are not practicable. I have decided, therefore, to transfer the property of the two development corporations to the Commission for the New Towns as from 1st April next. The development corporations, the local authorities and the Commission have been so informed.I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the devotion and enthusiasm with which the development corporations and their staffs have carried out their task over the past 17 years.