asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning the location of new towns designated or about to be designated; from what areas populations will be allocated to each new town; the populations proposed for each; and the stage of development now attained.

As the reply is rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the designation of further new towns, or further development to existing designated new towns, will not be unduly delayed as a result of the recent High Court decisions?

Yes, Sir, I can certainly give that assurance.

Following is the reply:

Orders are in force, under Section 1 of the New Towns Act, 1946, designing areas of land as sites for new towns at Crawley and Hemel Hempstead, and I have published draft Orders in respect of areas of land at Harlow, Essex, and at Aycliffe, County Durham. The populations proposed for these towns, when fully developed, are as follows:

Whilst the new towns must be devoted to the relief of overcrowding in certain main centres, there is no question, of a rigid allocation of population from particular districts. At the same time, certain local authorities have expressed their wish to participate in the development of the new towns, including the following:

Crawley: Croydon, Mitcham, Beddington and Wallington, Carshalton, Sutton and Cheam.

Hemel Hempstead: Acton.

Harlow: Tottenham, Wood Green, Edmonton, Leyton, Walthamstow, Hornsey.

In the case of Aycliffe, the intention is to provide homes close to their work for persons employed on the trading estate there; it may be expected, therefore, that the inhabitants will be drawn from all parts of S.W. Durham. No physical development has yet taken place in any of the new towns, but the preparation of an outline plan is in hand in respect of Crawley, Hemel Hempstead and Harlow, and certain preliminary work has been undertaken in connection with the provision of essential services.