§ 55. Mr. Higgsasked the Minister of Agriculture in what circumstances and by whom the views of his Department, expressed during preliminary consultations, may be made public at an inquiry into a proposal to develop or to confirm a compulsory purchase order affecting agricultural land.
§ Sir T. DugdaleIt is open to a local planning authority to quote at such inquiries the views expressed to it by my Department in preliminary consultations under the planning procedure.
§ Mr. HiggsWill my right hon. Friend consider whether it might be possible in appropriate cases to make the facts and views of his Department available to the private individual who might be seeking to defend agricultural land from development. where the position is reversed 610 as it were, and the local authority is seeking to take it for development?
§ Sir T. DugdaleThis problem is being considered all the time. On the whole, we think that the present procedure is satisfactory. I would make it clear that the consultations taking place as a preliminary are entirely without prejudice to consideration by the appropriate Minister of representations which may be put forward on agricultural grounds at any subsequent inquiry.