asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what mechanism will be employed to ensure that London boroughs adhere to the Greater London development plan in the transitional period between the proposed abolition of the Greater London council and the commencement of the unitary development plan system.

The GLDP will have the full weight of statute behind it until superseded by adopted unitary development plans. Planning applications constituting departures from the GLDP which boroughs propose to allow will be referred to my right hon. Friend for him to decide whether they should be called in for determination.