LORDS AMENDMENT (Hansard, 2 July 1968)

§ LORD KENNET
My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth not insist on its Amendment (No. 9) to which the Commons have disagreed. This was the Amendment to require representation by county district councils on National Park planning committees. It was fully debated at an earlier stage, and I do not think I need go through the machinery of the matter. Again the Commons take another view.

§ LORD BROOKE OF CUMNOR
My Lords, in this case I must ask the noble 282 Lord, Lord Kennet, a number of questions arising out of the Commons Reason. The Commons Reason is here printed as Because adequate representation of county district councils can be and is arranged under the provisions of existing legislation. "Can be," certainly. The question arises whether it is true to say that adequate representation of county district councils is arranged under the provisions of existing legislation. When we debated this matter on May 13 the reason this Amendment was carried was that your Lordships were satisfied that at present adequate representation of county district councils is not arranged under the provisions of existing legislation, and if this Commons Reason is valid there must have been radical changes in the last two months.
We all know that the Dartmoor Park Planning Committee makes wise arrange-merits for representation on the Committee of both the urban district councils and the rural district councils. But in view of the Commons assurance, that adequate representation of county district councils is now arranged under the provisions of existing legislation, I should like to ask the noble Lord these questions. How many county district councillors serve on the Northumberland Park Planning Committee? How many serve on the Yorkshire Dales Joint Advisory Committee? How many serve on the North Yorkshire Moors Park Planning Committee? How many serve on the Lake District Park Planning Board? How many serve on the Peak District Park Planning Board? How many district councillors serve on the Snowdonia Joint Advisory Committee? How many on the Brecon Beacons Joint Advisory Committee? How many on the Pembrokeshire Coast Park Planning Committee? How many on the Exmoor Joint Advisory Committee?
The Commons Reason says, in terms, that there is adequate representation of county district councils on all those planning bodies. What is that representation now which did not exist on May 13? It was because of its non-existence at that date that your Lordships passed this Amendment.

§ LORD KENNET
My Lords, with the greatest respect to the noble Lord, the Commons Reason does not say in terms that it is arranged in respect of all these 283 bodies. It says only that adequate representation can be and is arranged under the provisions of existing legislation. The question therefore is what is adequate representation? It would not have been true if the Commons had said, or indeed if anybody had said, "adequate representation can be arranged but is not in any case." It is arranged in some cases and in the judgment of the Government the arrangements for representation are adequate when left to the agreement of the National Park Planning Board and the local authorities concerned.
I think perhaps the noble Lord is dwelling excessively on words. The issue here is whether or not we should write it into the Statute that there must be district council representation on every National Park Planning Board, rather than leaving it to the arrangements and the will of those concerned in each case either to arrange it, as has happened in Dartmoor, or not to arrange it, as has happened in other cases.

§ LORD BROOKE OF CUMNOR
If I had the right to speak again, I would say that that explanation is absurd.

§ LORD KENNET
I think one has the right to speak again.