To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider asking the regional aggregates working parties to delay the preparation of their regional commentaries until full consideration has been given to comments on the national forecasts recently published by his Department.
[holding answer 22 July 1991]: No. The views expressed by the regional aggregates working parties in their regional commentaries on the implications of the forecasts will be an important contribution to the revised draft guidelines which my Department will be preparing for public consultation.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to examine the present policy on aggregates of ensuring a steady supply for the construction industry, to ensure that it is still appropriate and encourages efficiency in aggregates' use.
[holding answer 22 July 1991]: It is premature to make any change to the present policies, but the Government have said that during the review of MPG 6 they will be reviewing whether the policy of ensuring a steady supply of primary aggregates for the construction industry is still appropriate and whether it encourages their most efficient use.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will revise mineral planning guidance note 6 so as to make it clear that long-term forecasts of primary aggregates demand are treated only as indicating the scope of the problem.
[holding answer 22 July 1991]: Any decision on the content of the guidelines to replace MPG6 will be taken in the light of the comments which are received on the recently published forecasts and on the draft revised guidelines which will be issued for public consultation.