Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Hansard, 13 November 1997)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)
My Lords, the Countryside Commission is currently reviewing the funding and management of areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) generally, and the arrangements for the South Downs in particular through two separate consultations. The commission proposes to bring together the results of that work next spring. The report to Ministers will include advice on the funding implications for AONBs and will be considered carefully before decisions are taken.

§ Lord Renton of Mount Harry
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply, and declare an interest as the new chairman of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board. May I remind the Minister—

Noble Lords
Ask!

§ Lord Renton of Mount Harry
My Lords, does the Minister know—I assumed that she did—that most of the countryside proposals which we are now studying pre-suppose a large element of central government funding? Will she assure us that at the end of the day somedegree of central government funding will be available? Otherwise I fear that we face two years of discussion, inquiry, sound and fury and, in the end, no central government money.

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I cannot, as the noble Lord will understand, anticipate the results of the review. Obviously the reviews are looking into the funding issues. Recommendations will be made about them. Those recommendations will have to be considered in the light of general public expenditure plans at the time.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is my noble friend prepared to consider the views and information—I have valid 246 information—of the local authorities involved? They could be of great assistance. Is she prepared to accept that?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am prepared to hear the views of the local authorities involved, both on the general consultation which is already under way, and on the specific consultation about the South Downs AONB, which is to be launched at a conference on 26th November.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, as a system of national parks has never existed in Scotland, and conservation, amenity and recreational opportunities have been provided by othermeans, and as there has been a lively, continuing debate in Scotland on possible changes—long before a Scottish parliament could get around to considering that—have the Government any proposals on this subject for Scotland?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I defer to the noble Lord and his knowledge of Scottish concerns surrounding AONBs, although I recognise that they are not designated in the same way in Scotland. I hope that he will forgive me if I undertake to write to him on the issue.

§ Lord Hardy of Wath
My Lords, will my noble friend encourage her colleagues in government to promote adequate co-operation between the Countryside Commission and local authorities with a view to protecting areas which are attractive but vulnerable, and which have been imperilled, largely because of the inadequate arrangements for local authority funding which have affected many parts of the country?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, those are the types of concerns that have given rise to the Countryside Commission's investigations, and which will be considered when we have the results of those consultations next spring.

§ Lord Chorley
My Lords, we welcome the news that the Countryside Commission is looking into this matter, and that a report will be sent to the Minister. Will she tell us when the report will become publicly available so that we can all know what advice has been given? Secondly, will she confirm that while we all recognise the importance of AONBs being funded, there will be no question of attacking the funding of national parks which are already under pressure?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, we will be receiving the advice from the Countryside Commission next spring. Then we can look at how we take forward ministerial decisions on that advice, and what will be the most effective and appropriate solutions, both in terms of designation and ways of future funding.

§ Lord Marlesford
My Lords, does the Minister agree that since those excellent reforms of the Attlee government which introduced AONBs and national parks, pressures on those areas have grown 247 immeasurably? There is a real danger now of them deteriorating to a wholly unacceptable extent. Something will need to be done fairly urgently. They need not necessarily be national parks.The Norfolk Broads is an excellent example of a tailor-made authority which solved a real problem.

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord that a range of solutions might be appropriate in differing areas. One particular solution may not necessarily be appropriate for all the areas that we need to protect and conserve.

§ Viscount Mersey
My Lords, the Minister referred to the South Downs, not to the Sussex Downs which is at the moment a separately administered area from the Hampshire Downs. Does she anticipate amalgamation of the two bodies?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am sure that that is one of the issues that will be addressed during the consultation, and upon which people on both sides of the question, I know, have strong views.

§ Baroness Nicol
My Lords, will my noble friend assure the House that the present funding of national parks, which is poor—she may not know, for example, that the Lake District now receives £100,000 less than it did four years ago—will be at least maintained, and, if possible, enhanced?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, as I said earlier, I cannot at the moment give assurances about public expenditure while the comprehensive spending reviews are going on. However, I can give the assurance that the value and importance of those areas of outstanding natural beauty that we need to protect are well understood in the department.