§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make a statement of Government views on the Sandford Report on National Parks; and if he will place a copy of the statement in the Library.
§ Mr. Denis HowellMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have now completed their consideration of the report and I am placing a copy of their conclusions in the Library of the House.
I should like to express our gratitude to Lord Sandford, to the members of his committee and to all those who submitted evidence to the committee or commented on its report. I should also like to say how much we have been helped in our consideration of the report by the Countryside Commission, although I should emphasise that it does not agree with all our conclusions.
The parks are one of our most important national assets and it is appropriate at this point in time—some twenty years after the parks were designated—that we should thoroughly review future long-term policies for them.
On the central issue of conservation versus public enjoyment the committee has concluded that both must continue to be given due importance and that the 10W main emphasis must be not on negative restriction but on positive management policies designed where possible to reconcile conflicts. Nevertheless, as the committee has also pointed out, some further powers of control are desirable and, in the last resort and in some areas, it will be necessary to give priority to the conservation of the natural beauty of the parks. This general line of approach is one we very much endorse.
As regards the individual recommendations, we have in whole or in part endorsed the majority. There are, however, some which we have not been able to accept. The most important concern forestry, where we consider that the administrative arrangements established since the committee reported make the imposition of planning control unnecessary; minerals, where we consider that the normal planning control procedures should continue to operate; and national heritage areas, on which the Committee was itself divided, and which has met with general disapproval.
A recurrent theme in the committee's report is that additional resources ought to be allocated to national park purposes. In present circumstances, however, additional resources could only be provided at the expense of other local authority services, and the national parks must be subject to whatever constraints may be necessary in the light of the developing economic situation. The overriding duty of the national park authorities over the next few years, therefore, will be to ensure that limited resources are employed with discrimination and in the most cost-effective way possible.
Certain of our conclusions are not dependent either on legislation or additional resources and appropriate action can be taken without delay. As the conclusions which require legislation do not involve the use of mandatory powers we shall proceed with the preparation of the necessary legislation and will introduce it when parliamentary time is available. We believe that the national park authorities would welcome an increase in the range of policy options in allocating whatever resources will be available to them from year to year.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the ways in 11W which he proposes to improve public transport in areas of national parks and areas of countryside designated as of outstanding natural beauty, so that members of the public can easily visit them without using private transport.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI would refer my hon. Friend to the conclusions of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on the Sandford Report on National Park Policies which I announced in answer to his Question today. The provision of public transport is a matter for the transport operators and the local authorities of the area. In national parks the national park authorities are able to assist in the provision of suitable services for visitors and we have said that we attach importance to the provision of such services.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those sections of the Sandford Report on National Parks which require new legislation and which the Government support; and when he proposes to bring such legislation forward.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI would refer my hon. Friend to the conclusions of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on the Sandford Report on which I have made a statement in answer to his Question today. We have concluded that legislation is needed on the matters in paragraphs 9.12, 9.16, 9.19, 13.6, 13.13, 16.18 and 22.3 of the Sandford Report and we shall consider whether legislation is needed on the matters in paragraphs 8.11, 11.3 and 16.12.