Permaculture (Hansard, 6 November 1996)

§ Mr. Martyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's definition of permaculture; and if he will make a statement. [1594]

§ Sir Paul Beresford
There is no statutory definition of permaculture.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Permaculture Association (UK); and if he will make a statement. [1595]

§ Sir Paul Beresford
No correspondence has been received from an organisation of this name. However, representations have been made by the Permaculture Association (Britain) on the draft revision to planning policy guidance note 7, "The Countryside—Environmental Quality and Economic Development". We have received more than 400 responses to this consultation document. These are being considered carefully at present.

§ Mr. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage permaculture within national parks; and if he will make a statement. [2353]

§ Mr. Clappison
The Government are committed to the concept of sustainable development in their rural planning policies. One of the key principles is to encourage environmentally-friendly economic activity while conserving the character of the countryside. It is for the national park authorities, as the local planning authorities for their areas, to determine issues of land use planning and to consider individual planning applications in the light of their wider responsibilities.