HL Deb 17 June 1969 vol 302 c910

2.58 p.m.

LORD BROOKE OF CUMNOR

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their intention to proceed with their proposal to abolish the existing right of appeal against refusal of permission to display an outdoor advertisement.]

LORD KENNET

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Housing has consulted all the interested parties on this subject and has decided not to proceed in present circumstances.

LORD BROOKE OF CUMNOR

My Lords, may I thank the noble Lord most sincerely for that Answer, and ask whether he is aware that a great many people who are familiar with this subject will feel that the relatively small saving in manpower and money that could have been achieved would have been more than outweighed by the deep sense of injustice that would have been created if the pledge given to the industry 20 years ago had been violated?

LORD SILKIN

My Lords, may I also express my great pleasure that this proposed measure has been withdrawn? May I ask whether the noble Lord is aware that it would have been a gross breach of faith to the people concerned May I also ask him whether he himself feels a sense of satisfaction that it has been withdrawn?

LORD KENNET

My Lords, one of the charms of this Chamber is its subjectivity; but I think that to give an answer to the last part of the noble Lord's supplementary question would be going too far. On the question of the breach of faith, I would not add anything to what I said in our recent debates on the subject.