§ Mr. William Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for designating further areas of Wales as a national park, or for extending existing parks; and whether he has discussed these proposals with representatives of farming organisations in Wales.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesIt is the responsibility of the National Parks Commission to consider what areas should be designated as national parks and to put for ward proposals to me. No such proposals for further national parks or for extensions of existing parks have been formally submitted.
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§ Mr. William Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many members of the national parks planning committees are on the committees as representatives of farming interests in the areas within the national parks.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesOne-third of the members of the National Parks Planning Committees are appointed by the local planning authorities on my nomination and the other two-thirds are directly appointed by the local planning authorities themselves. Members are selected because of their interest in national parks rather than as representatives of sectional interests. But of the 30 members whom I nominate to the national parks planning committees seven can be said to be associated with farming and I expect that there is an appropriate cross-section of interests, including farming, represented among the members directly appointed by the local planning authorities.