§ 2.40 p.m.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for increasing the number of national parks and country parks; and in particular whether a more unified administration of the South Downs is under consideration.
719§ Lord MOWBRAY and STOURTONMy Lords, national parks are designated by order made by the Countryside Commission, subject to confirmation in England by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and in Wales by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Wales. No such orders are currently before them.
The majority of country parks are provided by local authorities. The Countryside Commission encourage both local authorities and private landowners and agencies to establish these parks and offer advice and grant aid. The Government are not directly involved and have no present plans to change the administrative arrangements for the South Downs.
Lord ORAMMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply and acknowledging that good work has been done over the years by the local authorities in the South Downs area in preventing undesirable encroachment on the down-land, may I ask whether the Minister will convey to the authorities responsible the fact that in recent years large areas of the downs have changed their scenic character as a result of changes in agricultural practice? Does not the Minister consider that this calls for positive planning powers by a unitary authority rather than, as at present, for the negative powers exercised by a number of authorities? And have not subsequent events since 1947 proved that in that year the Hob-house Committee was right in recommending that the South Downs should be a national park?
§ Lord MOWBRAY and STOURTONMy Lords, I know that the noble Lord, Lord Oram, lives in this area and that he therefore knows fully and understands fully the implications for the Countryside Commission of planning authority matters. However, it is for the local authorities to decide. Accordingly, I must point out to him that these chalklands of the Sussex Downs constitute some of the finest scenery in England and that with the adjoining areas of outstanding natural beauty in East Hampshire, the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs, they together comprise the largest area of designated landscape in England and Wales. They comprise 2,631 square kilometres com- 720 pared with only 2,243 square kilometres in the Lake District. On the last point of the noble Lord's question, it is disputable whether grassland in itself is more beautiful than cornland and root vegetables. This is a matter for super-sensitive people. I do not know where the right answer lies.