To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment has been made by his Department of the effect of the European Community's Green Paper on the urban environment upon strategic planning processes in Welsh local authorities.

The European Community Green Paper on the urban environment, published in 1990, was welcomed by the Government. The Community has subsequently set up an expert group to consider how the proposals in the Green Paper should be taken forward. The United Kingdom is represented on the group and we will, in due course, assess the effect of its findings on the strategic planning process in Welsh local authorities.