To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish a timetable for making his response to the (a) consultation and (b) further environmental assessment relating to the South West Regional Spatial Strategy; and if he will make a statement. (310661)

The Government wish to be satisfied that the Sustainability Appraisal of the Proposed Changes to the South West Regional Spatial Strategy tested reasonable alternatives to those areas of search for strategic housing, business and other development which were added or amended following consideration of the Examination-in-Public’s Panel’s report. Further work on Sustainability Appraisal has been commissioned and this is expected to take until March 2010.

If the Secretary of State decides to propose further changes, that will necessitate a further period of consultation on those changes and consideration of representations before the final RSS is published.