§ 2.57 p.m.
§ Lord PARGITERMy 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 how many representatives will be appointed to attend the United Nations' Conference on Human Settlements, in Vancouver from 31st May to 11th June; and of that number how many will be chosen directly from local government sources.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is in the process of appointing a delegation of 21, which he will lead. Two delegates will be nominated by the local authority associations. The others will reflect the involvement of central Government, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the professional and voluntary organisations engaged in the formulation and implementation of planning policies in this country.
§ Lord PARGITERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the Secretariat of the United Nations suggests that the composition of the delegation should be at least one third from local authorities? How does this square with only two out of 21? Is my noble friend further aware that, instead of consultation with local authority associations, two bodies have been told they will be permitted to send delegates—there has not been the usual consultation which takes place on these matters between the associations concerned? Does my noble friend think the matter needs to be looked at again with a view, so far as local authorities are 221 concerned, to conforming rather more with the suggestion of the United Nations' Secretariat?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, so far as the delegates from local authorities are concerned, the Scottish Convention were selected because, as well as adding to representation from Scotland, they represent both levels of local government in Scotland. The Association of Metropolitan Authorities was the natural choice from England since this habitat Conference will be focused on urban areas. In addition, the representative nominated by the Royal Town Planning Institute is one of the two delegates from the professional associations and is a senior county council planning officer, which adds local authority interest to representation on the delegation. Regarding my noble friend's question about the authorities being told from where the representatives would come, my understanding was that there were no applications from other local authority associations, and that this was understood. There was a conference in January at which the voluntary organisations were represented. I understand some local authority representatives were there. When the habitat Conference is over it is intended to hold a further conference—and this has already been budgeted for—for the voluntary organisations and also local authority representatives, if they wish to attend.
§ Lord PARGITERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that a non-Governmental conference will be taking place prior to the habitat conference, to which many of these bodies are being invited, which will prepare a document for the conference itself? Is she also aware that her statement about the associations making an application is not correct, because the secretary of one of the associations made an application on behalf of all of the associations? Perhaps she would like to look at the corespondence, in order to correct this matter.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, if my noble friend will allow me, I should certainly like to look into this. If I have been wrongly informed, I will certainly let him know and apologise.
§ Lord PARGITERMy Lords, may I also ask my noble friend whether the Minister will look into this question of 222 the very small representation, and endeavour to conform more to the arrangement provided for by the United Nations?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, in view of the economic situation, the Government have tried to keep the delegation as small as possible. The delegation also includes officials who are necessary in order to cover all the activities of the conference. These include officials from my own Department, the Foreign Office, Overseas Development, the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office. So it is not a very large delegation, and it was extremely difficult to get as many people as would have liked to be in it.