§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what literature is available from official sources that provides objectors at local planning inquiries with notes and advice on their legal rights and the customary course of proceedings; and if he will consider making it a duty for any planning authority to send a publication of this type to any registered objector.
§ Mr. OakesThe Department does not provide guidance exclusively for the use of objectors attending planning inquiries. but a booklet, "Planning Appeals—A Guide to Procedure", is published by the Department and freely available. Mr. George Dobry's Report on the "Review of the Development Control System" makes recommendations for improving the availability of information and advice to interested parties at both the planning application and appeal stages which my right hon. Friend is currently considering.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in pursuance of open government, he will now propose making it mandatory for local authorities to provide, at reasonable cost, a weekly postal subscription service of additions to their statutory register of planning applications.
§ Mr. OakesNo. The planning register is already available for inspection by the public. Also many local authorities make lists of applications available in public places, to the Press and to local civic and amenity societies. To impose additional statutory duties on local authorities of the sort suggested would not be justified.