§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves),Official Report, 26 March, columns 352–53, if he will set out the reservations expressed by each interested party on common land legislation; if he will place copies of written representations from each interested party in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryIn the discussions held with all major interests following the Government statement of 26 July 1990, views were sought both on the content of prospective comprehensive common land legislation and on the alternative of a short Bill to prevent deregistration. Apart from the national access bodies, the majority of the interests consulted indicated opposition, in varying degrees, to the latter.
After various amenity bodies wrote to Ministers in October 1990 suggesting that the Government introduce a short Bill, the Countryside Commission, the Government's statutory adviser on this matter, confirmed in writing its continued lack of support for this proposal, and the National Farmers Union wrote confirming their opposition. We have no authority from these bodies to place their representations in the Library.