asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will set up a departmental committee, to include local representatives, to study the problem of environmental pollution in the Black Country and to recommend action to clean up public buildings and rehabilitate waste grounds and derelict sites, in view of concern in the area at the inadequacy of present arrangements.

No. If the local authorities concerned wished to consider together the best use which they can collectively make of the available grants for derelict land clearance and for infrastructure schemes I would be pleased to provide technical advice and assistance and to study its eventual recommendations sympathetically. I also intend visiting the Black Country to discuss such projects with the local authorities concerned.