asked the Minister for the Environment the number of planning officers who have a degree or qualification in town planning; and the number of architects employed as planning officers as against the number of civil engineers.

Information is not available in my Department in relation to the specific disciplines of the professional planning staff employed by local authorities. However, on the basis of returns furnished by local authorities to my Department for the year ended 31 December 1984 the latest date for which figures are available, there were 182 persons in professional planning posts in all local authorities. The holders of such professional planning posts generally possess (a) a university degree, or equivalent professional qualification, in architecture or engineering, with appropriate experience of planning or (b) a post-graduate diploma in town planning, or both (a) and (b), depending on the category of planning post involved.