Northern Ireland: Planning Appeals

HL Deb 20 October 2003 vol 653 cc141-2WA

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In what circumstances the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment would feel it necessary to employ professional advocates at planning appeals commissions hearings. [HL4553]

Baroness Amos

The Department of the Environment's planning service would only feel it necessary to employ professional advocates in situations where specialist expertise would be required and where such expertise was not available within the department. The planning service does, however, as a matter of practice, use legal advisers in most non-routine hearings.