§ 66. Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parliamentary Bills his Department has introduced in the last five years in relation to the construction of projects which would normally require planning permission; and what is his policy towards the use of legislation, rather than the planning system for this purpose.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy Department does not itself promote private Bills. A private Bill may usually only be used as a means of securing planning permission (by virtue of class XII of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977) if the scheme requires other authorisations which only Parliament can provide. If such a Bill is required, it is reasonable for Parliament to606W consider the planning issues at the same time. These matters are among those at present being considered by the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure.