§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers are available to local authorities to restrict the flying of EU flags on public buildings. [129757]
§ Ms Beverley Hughes[holding answer 7 July 2000]: The European flag may be flown provided planning permission for the flagstaff has been granted and express consent to fly the flag (under the separate arrangements for control of advertisements) has been given by the local planning authority. A Crown body that wishes to undertake development that would otherwise require planning permission, or express consent to display an advertisement, follows the non-statutory arrangements set out in part IV of DOE Circular 18/84. On 29 June I announced proposals to amend the Town and Country 400W Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992. One of the proposed amendments is to allow the European flag to be flown from a flagstaff without having to apply to the local planning authority for permission to do so. National flags already benefit from this exemption.