§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the area of land, by region and county, designated as of outstanding natural beauty up to(a) 1979 and (b) 1987 in England.
§ Mr. MoynihanBecause many areas of outstanding natural beauty straddle more than one county the information is not readily available by county and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. By DOE region, the relevant area designated under section 87 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is as follows:
Area in 1979 (sq km) Area in 1987 (sq km) Northern 129 11,479 North West 910 1l,560 Yorkshire and Humberside 115 320 East Midlands 520 520 West Midlands 1,128 1,128 South West 5,281 6,198 South East 4,233 5,751 Eastern 1,498 1,498 Greater London (Bromley) 3 3 1 Includes North Pennines, designated in December 1978 and confirmed with modifications on 7 June 1988.