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Ms Hughes: I have been fully briefed and believe that the Essex Chronicle has made an issue of the matter, although I do not know whether the issue is based on various experiences or only one experience. However, it is not necessarily valid for the reporter to assume that her feelings on accessibility are shared by many other people. Not only have there been no formal complaints, there have been no direct complaints from members of the public to the programme officer or the inspector about either of the issues that the hon. Gentleman raised--copying facilities, and readily available copies to take away.
I hope that the hon. Gentleman will appreciate that a reasonable balance has to be struck. Although it is difficult to understand how there has been an unfair restriction on access to information in this case, I entirely support his general point that the principle of access to information and openness at planning inquiries is extremely important and has to be put into practice effectively.
As the hon. Gentleman said, planning inquiries are public inquiries, and the public and other interested parties must be able to use them effectively. However, in this case, I believe that the inspector has responded to the requests made to him, and has gone beyond what might normally be expected to facilitate dissemination of information. There is certainly no evidence that other than the correct procedures have been followed.
The hon. Gentleman made some important general points. Turning from the specific case in Essex to the general position, let me say that the Department's current guidance on arrangements for public inquiries--to which the hon. Gentleman referred--is published in a separate booklet and is readily available. It explains that, although participants and the planning authority are free to develop their case at an inquiry, the inspector will normally ask for proofs of evidence or other written statements to be submitted beforehand. I do not think that such a request is unreasonable.
If the authority wishes to respond to those objections, it must do so very shortly afterwards and deposit the response in the library. The hon. Gentleman said that people in Essex are unable to keep up with requirements on depositing and responding to objections, and on the general exchange of views. However, the process should be working well. If it is not working well, I should like to have more information about it, as our practice is designed to ensure that it does work well. People have to be able to keep up with developments at an inquiry.
The code of conduct on development plans also states that it is for the inspector to decide how to conduct the inquiry. It goes on to make it clear that it is the inspector's responsibility to ensure that everyone concerned has access to the relevant information.
I should like to say something about an important issue for the future that the hon. Gentleman raised. Our current guidance enables inspectors to achieve the openness and transparency that we want, but we have been considering how the process can be made even easier, because we are very concerned to promote openness and transparency. We are going to introduce measures to promote shorter and clearer plans so that they are more easily understood and accessible. We also want better targeted consultation. We will encourage local authorities to announce publicly a clear timetable for an inquiry and they will be accountable for any slippage. There should be negotiations with objectors ahead of the public inquiry and the inspector's report should be publicly available within a set time. We shall also encourage the prompt adoption of plans. All those proposals will be set out in a revised version of planning policy guidance note 12 on development plans, which will be published in the near future.
Our changes will not curtail the public's right to comment on or object to development plan proposals or to participate fully. They are designed to ensure that inquiries are conducted in a more systematic way so that people's access to information and ability to participate in the process is enhanced.
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