§ Mr. Robert BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many applications for a certificate of lawfulness of existing use or development have been refused by local authorities in England in each of the last five years;
(2) how many applications for a certificate of lawfulness of existing use or development have been accepted in England in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. BaldryThis information is not available. Although local authorities provide my Department with quarterly statistics of planning applications and decisions, these do not differentiate applications for certificates of lawfulness of existing use or development and other kinds of planning application. Moreover, the legislation providing for such applications did not come into force until July 1992.