asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue directions for the transfer of rented housing in the first generation new towns.

The consultations required under Section 2(1) of the New Towns (Amendment) Act 1976 have now been completed for all the towns concerned. Directions for the making of a transfer scheme have been issued in the case of Corby, Crawley, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield. I am now considering the various issues raised at meetings with Aycliffe, Basildon, Bracknell, Harlow, Peterlee and Stevenage, and we hope to notify the parties of the decisions by the end of the month.