asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations have been made to him from Wiltshire regarding the preservation of scheduled buildings and monuments; whether he will set up an inquiry which will report on the protection of integrated groups of buildings, facades and organic town centres of artistic and architectural merit; and what action he will take to protect old buildings of merit in Wiltshire,

I know of the concern felt in Wiltshire and indeed generally, about historic town centres. I recently held a conference to discuss this problem and I am now arranging to get some pilot studies done in a few selected towns. These will show what needs to be done and how to do it.