HC Deb 17 February 1988 vol 127 cc970-1
10. Mr. Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce direct elections to the Peak park planning board.

Mr. Ridley

I have no plans to do so.

Mr. Knox

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Peak park is one of only two areas in the country in which planning decisions are finally reached by people other than directly elected representatives? Why should those of my constituents who live in the Peak park have to put up with this undemocratic treatment?

Mr. Ridley

I know well my hon. Friend's concern about the matter. In all the national parks, a sizeable proportion—about the same as that in the Peak district—of people who are not resident in the area serve on the parks committee. In my hon. Friend's case, of 34 members of the Peak board, 12 live in the park and a further six live within one mile of the boundary, including two councillors with electoral ward divisions lying partly within the park. I do not believe that it would be right to change the system of choosing national park authorities, because that would give rise to enormous complications in many areas.

Mr. McLoughlin

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that a great percentage of the county appointees live well outside the area of the park? This is causing grave concern for people who live in the national parks. As my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox) said, there is only one other area in the country where a person cannot serve on the planning authority if he is a resident and has been elected. This is very unfair. Will my right hon. Friend at least consider issuing new guidelines to local authorities about appointing people who live within the area of the national parks and have to abide by national park restrictions?

Mr. Ridley

I understand my hon. Friends' concern about this matter, but people must understand how difficult it would be to change the system of those who are elected and then appointed to the board. We have already requested local authorities to ensure as far as possible that they appoint people who live in or near the area.