§ Dr. John Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made towards legislation for site licensing for caravan and tent sites.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIn November 1980, after full public consultation, my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales accepted in broad terms the desirability at a suitable52W opportunity of aligning the site-licensing systems for caravan and tent sites. My Department is investigating what might be required, both as to licensing and as to exemptions from it, for a single system which balances adequate local authority control with the wellbeing of camping and caravanning and which rectifies various anomalies. For instance, at present local authorities may give planning permission for a site to be used for tents for more than 28 days in a year but may be unable to control the use of the site in public health respects through site licensing. The study has not yet been completed and there would have to be further public consultation before any final decisions were taken.