§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the objectors to the North Pennine Rural Development Board, stating briefly the nature of their objections and the alterations which have been made to deal with each objector's case.
§ Mr. John MackieI would refer the hon. Member, as regards the first part of his Question, to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to him on 23rd April, 1968, and as regards the second part, to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett), on 15th May this year. The proposed area of the Board, a map of which has been placed in the Library of the House, incorporates with one exception all the modifications referred to in the latter reply.—[Vol 763,c. 14–15 and Vol. 783, c. 266.]
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the acres of common land in the area of the North Pennine Rural Development Board, giving the acreage for each county.
§ Mr. John MackieI estimate that about 550 square miles, or between one-fifth and one-sixth of the Board's area is common land. Much of this lies in the counties of Durham and Westmorland.
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of running the North Pennine Rural Development Board over the first year, including individual items such as salaries and rent.
§ Mr. John MackieThe acquisition of premises for the Board is likely to cost about £15,000. Other administrative expenses, including salaries, in the first year may be of the order of £20,000.
232W
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff will be employed by the North Pennine Rural Development Board; of what grades they will be composed; and to what extent it is proposed to alter this figure after the first year.
§ Mr. John MackieThe Board will initially employ a Secretary and a Chief Land Agent and some half-dozen supporting staff. The Secretary and the Chief Land Agent will be employed in grades analogous to Senior Chief Executive Officer and Regional Land Commissioner respectively in the Civil Service. The future staffing requirements will be reviewed as the Board's work develops.
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food where the headquarters of the North Pennine Rural Development Board will be situated.
§ Mr. John MackieMy right hon. Friend is negotiating on behalf of the Board for premises near Appleby in Westmorland.