§ Mrs. MaddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses to the Department of the Environment's consultation paper "The New Forest: The Government's Proposals", published in September 399W 1992, were received by the Department before the end of 1992; and of these responses what proportion supported the Government's proposals that (a) statutory designation should be given to the area broadly related to the heritage area proposed by the New Forest committee and that (b) a planning regime similar to that which applies in the national parks and the Broads should apply to this area.
§ Mr. AtkinsWe received 209 responses to our consultation paper on the New Forest before the end of 1992. Sixty per cent. of these responses addressed the issue of a statutory designation for an area related to the New Forest heritage area, of which 84 per cent. supported the proposal for a statutory status which would bring with it a planning regime similar to that which applies in the national parks and the Broads.