§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now say when he hopes to be able to make a statement on the Government's proposals to implement the Sandford Report on National Parks.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 16th April—[Vol. 890, c. 422–3.]
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the ways in which public transport can be improved in areas of national parks and areas of the countryside designated as of outstanding natural beauty, so that members of the public can easily visit them, without using private transport.
§ Mr. CarmichaelI would ask my hon. Friend to await the Government's conclusions on the Sandford Report.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report any new access scheme and long distance footpaths to which the national park authorities have been able to gain agreement for use during 1975.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe information on access to open country is not available since the national park authorities are free to make access agreements without my right hon. Friend's prior approval.
Following agreement on the provision of a public right of way on a section of the Pembrokeshire coast long-distance footpath in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park earlier this year, such rights now exist on all the national park sections of approved long-distance footpaths. No proposals for new routes have been submitted to my right hon. Friend so far this year.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report all schemes of traffic management at the moment being carried out by national park authorities and any schemes being considered; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. CarmichaelThe information is not available because the great majority of such schemes do not come to my right hon. Friend for approval.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps, in consultation with the national park authorities and the Countryside Commission, to encourage the public to use all the areas of the national parks, rather than to overcrowd a few well known beauty spots, particularly at bank holiday weekends; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThis is basically a matter for the national park authorities who have a statutory duty to prepare and publish a national park plan for each of the national parks by 1st April 1977. Last year, in co-operation with the Welsh Office, my Department issued a circular embodying advice by the Countryside Commission on the preparation of these plans, including advice on the strategy for management of recreational pressures. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the circular. The Countryside Commission, in conjunction with the national park authorities, is also carrying out a number of experimental schemes concerned with these problems.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on how far national park authorities have had to restrict educational visits to particular areas within their parks; and whether he is satisfied that there is sufficient co-ordination between education authorities and national park authorities to try to disperse educational visits throughout national parks.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI am not aware of any such restrictions. For the rest, I would ask my hon. Friend to await the Government's conclusions on the Sandford Report.