§ Mr. NichollsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the working group on the operation of present legislation for mobile homes has been set up; what the terms of reference and programme of work are to be; when the working group is expected to report; and if he will make a statement. [46143]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Park Homes Working Party held its first meeting on 14 May. Its aim and terms of reference are as follows:
Aim: To promote the effective and equitable operation of existing statutory controls on permanent residential park homes and to consider what changes, if any, in these might be desirable to achieve a fair and workable balance between the needs and interests of park home residents and park owners/operators.
Terms of Reference: To review the statutory framework of park homes legislation and, in particular, the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, Caravan Sites Act 1968 and Mobile Homes Act 1983, and consider:
- (a) what is the best current practice in the application and enforcement of these controls by local authorities, and how it might best be disseminated;
- (b) whether there is further scope to achieve the effective operation of existing controls through initiatives generated by the park homes industry; and
- (c) whether there are significant weaknesses in the content of the existing controls which might be remedied, without disproportionate increases in public expenditure and in costs to operators and residents, through changes to secondary and, if appropriate and when Parliamentary time allows, primary legislation.
The Working Party is aiming to present recommendations to Ministers by Spring 1999.