I thank the House for deciding to devote this afternoon to a debate on the national spatial strategy. Anyone who reads the strategy will realise it is a culmination of many years of hard work. It was not decided on and discussed at length only within Departments or interdepartmental committees. There was an opportunity for many to become involved by way of submissions. It is gratifying to look at the number of submissions received from local authorities, the county councils and town councils, and from regional assemblies, one from the BMW region and the south and east region, the institutes of technology and the chambers of commerce. Everyone who has an interest in regional development had an input to the strategy. Irrespective of what decision the Government made it would not please everyone. It had to be objective in its view and took its decision in the best interests of the country. The gateways almost created themselves because of the critical mass.