§ Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he has taken to ensure that copies of letters from interested parties objecting to appeals against the refusal of planning applications are not communicated to the appellants without the permission of the objectors.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThere are standing instructions not to send an appellant a copy of a letter from an interested party without first obtaining the writer's specific permission, except where the circumstances indicate that he was aware that its contents would be disclosed. A letter received at an inquiry would be shown to the parties, and the writer's permission to do so would be presumed. My right hon. Friend cannot, in justice, take into account views expressed by a third party about an appeal unless the planning authority and the appellant are aware of them and have been given an opportunity to comment.