§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the efficiency of the public inquiry system in planning.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIn general, yes. Some 3,000 planning inquiries are held each year, and, while the detailed working of the inquiry system needs to be kept under reivew, I am satisfied that it operates both efficiently and fairly in the vast majority of cases. I am concerned about the cost and length of a few major inquiries, and about the disruptive behaviour which occasionally occurs at inquiries, and I am considering with colleagues how best to tackle these problems.