§ 9. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he will give details of the national parks which have been taken over by the Government already; what others are contemplated; and whether the control of all such national parks will be under the jurisdiction of national committees as recommended by the Hobhouse Report, so as to serve the best interests of the country as a whole.
§ Mr. SilkinNo national parks have been taken over by the Government nor is it contemplated by the Hobhouse Report that they should be. As regards the second part of the Question, my hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate the terms of the Bill which was promised in the Gracious Speech from the Throne.
Mr. H. D. HughesIn drafting the Bill will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that, unless a reasonable proportion of members of local parks committees is appointed by the Minister to the national commission to represent the users who are not resident in the national parks 1487 areas there will be very considerable disappointment on all sides of the House and in the country?
§ Mr. Henry StraussDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that when the Government say that they are going to introduce such legislation it is an implied promise that they will not sanction development which will be greatly injurious to the parks when they are created?
§ Mr. SilkinApart from any implied promise, I should say that that was a perfectly proper attitude for the Government to adopt.
Mr. VaneWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, before he presents the Bill, that the people of Cumberland and Westmorland, who are expecting to be included in one of these national parks, resent very strongly the idea that they will be bossed by a commission in London? They want control to remain local.
§ Mr. ChetwyndIs it not the case that much land designated for national parks is now in the possession of the Government—for instance, Fylingdales Moor?