§ Mr. Terry Walkerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the work of the Environmental Board.
§ Mr. ShoreSince my statement last year announcing publication of the Environmental Board's first progress report, the Board has continued to advise my Department on ways in which the quality of the built environment could be improved. As foreshadowed in the report, four working parties were set up to study infill development, industrial development, environmental education and check lists for use of local authorities and the public.
With these studies well under way the Board held a special meeting earlier this year to consider its strategy and programme of work for the immediate future. I now have the report of that meeting, which identifies new objectives for the Board and stresses the importance of good husbandry of our towns and cities as a key theme for bringing together all environmental work. I have arranged for copies of the report of the Board's meeting to be placed in the House of Commons Library. Further copies will be available from my Department on request.
The Board intends to pursue these objectives in practical ways, especially in respect of current priorities such as the proposals for inner urban areas. This will mean advising the Department on the environmental dimension of specific areas of policy, such as housing, vacant land, landscaping and vandalism, and wherever possible the Board's views on these matters will be made public. Also, the Board will be identifying and publicising good environmental objectives and practice through a variety of methods commensurate with what is needed and what resources allow. As a way to stimulate public interest in creating and maintaining good environmental conditions the Board is currently producing, in association with the BBC, a television award scheme in which people throughout the United Kingdom are being invited to think about and express their ideas on new environmental developments.