HL Deb 30 June 1994 vol 556 cc873-4

15 Clause 20, page 15, line 39, leave out 'one or more National Parks' and insert 'an area prescribed under section 23B(2) in relation to a National Park'.

16 Page 15, line 44, leave out 'as the case may be,' and insert 'if there is more than one,'.

17 Page 16, line 2, after 'in' insert 'any of the following sections of'.

18 Page 16, line 5, leave out from 'to' to 'Park' in line 6 and insert 'any'.

19 Page 16, line 9, leave out 'the remaining' and insert 'that'.

20 Page 16, line 13, leave out 'National Park' and insert 'area prescribed under section 23B(2) in relation to that Park'.

21 Page 16, line 16, after 'within' insert 'the area so prescribed in relation to'.

22 Page 16, line 41, after 'alteration' insert 'or replacement'.

Lord Rodger of Earlsferry

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 15 to 22 en bloc. I should like to speak also to Amendments Nos. 77 to 106 and 202 to 204.

Clause 20 and Schedule 5 provide for the operation of unitary development plans in Wales. There will be separate UDPs for each national park, as well as for the non-park land within each unitary authority.

The amendments are designed to clarify and simplify the provisions both in terms of their interpretation and their implementation. In brief, they provide for development plans covering national parks to include portions of non-park land, for example, in areas such as Snowdonia. They also have the effect of making "replacement" plans continue in the same way as alterations are allowed to continue under the unamended clause. They also ensure that different provision is to be made between UDPs for the metropolitan counties in England and for the system as it is to be applied in Wales. They also carry forward, with the Secretary of State's approval, any revision work to local plans and structure plans which is in progress at the time of reorganisation. Finally, they safeguard the position of landowners who may be served with blight notices in respect of draft structure and local plan proposals which may exist in the transitional period before UDPs are prepared.

Moved, That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 1.5 to 22.—(Lord Rodger of Earlsferry.)

Lord Elis-Thomas

My Lords, I should like briefly to welcome the provisions, particularly as they relate to unitary development plans for the national parks and will ensure that the system that has been developed in areas such as Snowdonia, to which the noble and learned Lord referred, will be continued. This is an opportunity also to ask the Minister for an assurance that these provisions in the Bill will be fully implemented, with independent authorities being established for the Welsh parks, regardless of the regrettable incident in another place when the Bill of the noble Lord, Lord Norrie, fell.

Lord Rodger of Earlsferry

My Lords, I welcome the opportunity to give the House the assurance for which the noble Lord asks.

On Question, Motion agreed to.