§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what method the Government use to assess the weight of public opinion when considering whether or not to hold a public inquiry;
(2) what criteria are used by his department when assessing whether or not a project should be subject to a public inquiry;
(3) what he considers to be a sufficient number of complaints to make a subject worthy of a public inquiry.
§ Mr. BaldryIn deciding whether to hold a public local planning inquiry, each case is considered on its merits. All the relevant issues, including the complexity of a case and the weight of public opinion or complaints arising, are taken into account.