HL Deb 29 February 1972 vol 328 cc936-7

2.56 p.m.

LORD KENNET

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 what caused the Countryside Commission to change their minds between June 3, 1971, when they recommended independent National Parks Planning Authorities with powers to precept on the county councils, and October 25, 1971, when they recommended a continuation of the present system whereby the National Parks are administered by subordinate committees of the county councils with no separate source of finance.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)

My Lords, as the noble Lord will recall from the last occasion when we were discussing this subject, the Countryside Commission is not part of the Department of the Environment. It is an independent body and I am not answerable for it. The question that he asks is a matter for the Countryside Commission.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, is it not the case that the Countryside Commission is the statutory adviser of the Government on matters within its purview? Does the noble Lord not feel that the Government ought to know what causes it to change its mind when it does so in such a conspicuous manner?

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, I do not agree that it is for me to answer for the Countryside Commission. It is quite true that they advise Her Majesty's Government, but the kind of question that the noble Lord is asking is for them to answer.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, is it not inevitable that if a Park authority derives its money from a county its view will necessarily be restricted to county interests rather than national interests?

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, I prefer to answer the noble Baroness in this way: one of the changes which we are proposing in the administration of National Parks is that the greater part of the overall cost of administering them should be met by the Exchequer. That will take care of the point that she is making.

LORD PARGITER

My Lords, would the noble Lord agree that precepting methods generally are not desirable if they can be avoided? If it is felt that it is necessary to have wholly national Parks, they should be wholly nationally owned and wholly nationally financed.

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, I agree with the first part of the noble Lord's statement.

LORD KENNET

My Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord will allow me to rephrase my question in what is perhaps a constitutionally more correct manner. Between June and October of last year, did the Government at any level comment on the advice tendered by the Countryside Commission to the Government in June of last year?

LORD SANDFORD

No, my Lords, The noble Lord knows that we have made that very clear already.

THE EARL OF CRANBROOK

My Lords, as the Government had conflicting evidence from a body which is supposed to advise them, have they asked other interested bodies, such as the C.P.R.E., for their help in resolving the difficult problem presented by that contrary advice given within four months?

LORD SANDFORD

Yes, my Lords. The policy that we are now pursuing stems from a meeting called by my right honourable friend of the County Councils Association, the Countryside Commission, the C.P.R.E. and the C.P.R.W.