Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Minutes of Evidence


Examination of witnesses (Questions 260 - 267)

WEDNESDAY 5 APRIL 2000

MR MIKE HASLAM, MR SIMON BIRCH, MR PETER WILBRAHAM and MR DAVID ROSE

  260. Is there a variation?
  (Mr Haslam) If there was more information about the time taken for the Secretary of State decisions, that would emerge.
  (Mr Rose) I can offer you a particular proposal that we have put to the Department. You asked the union earlier about how they find out about government planning information. Last year, after representation by us, the Department introduced a website listing all the Department's planning guidance and information. We have been pushing them to include on that website information on the progress of appeals and applications subject to call-in and with the timescales on so that people can see more clearly across the country what are the cases which are being called in and which are the reasons, as opposed to simply waiting until the Secretary of State's decision eventually trickles through a year or so later.

  261. Have you made any other representations about these problems? Who would you make them to?
  (Mr Haslam) We have certainly raised it in our various meetings with the Department which we have from time to time.

Mr Blunt

  262. What practical measures has your liaison and planning inspector brought with regard to recruiting more women and people from ethnic minorities into the Inspectorate?
  (Mr Rose) For the practical outcomes, you will have to ask the Chief Planning Inspector next week, because he has the most recent figures in terms of recruitment. One that I know about, and was referred to by Mrs Burden earlier, is the way in which the Inspectorate has looked at its recruitment literature. They found that the previous recruitment literature they had sent out to would be candidates suggested they would need to be prepared to travel, be away from home frequently, carry out unaccompanied site visits. They had a good look at it and came to the conclusion it was probably a little bit harsh and they were not presenting a positive image. They have reviewed that information to make it clear now that the requirements for the Inspectorate are not so unsuitable for women. They have also looked very carefully at the role of making better use of women as role models within the Inspectorate. It is partly also an age issue. 50 per cent of those students on planning courses now are women. As the percentage works its way through, the issue of more women in the profession will definitely be addressed. In terms of ethnic minorities, I was involved in a piece of work the Institute did with the Commission for Racial Equality 20 years ago which raised concerns about the role of ethnic matters in the planning process and it has to be said that, despite the Institute's best efforts over the years, we have so far failed to attract enough members of ethnic minorities into the profession. We think this perhaps reflects questions of the public perception about the regard in which planning is held. We are convinced that those groups who have come into the employment market more recently have chosen those careers which appear to be those which are most highly regarded. We are quite convinced that if planning was held in high regard and its outputs were that it would play a major role in helping the Institute in its efforts to encourage ethnic minorities to think of planning as a career they would like to be in.

Chairman

  263. How do the Planning Inspectorate rates of pay compare with the people generally in the profession? Are they sufficient to attract good people to go into the Planning Inspectorate?
  (Mr Haslam) My perception is that they are not high enough for the level of work they do. Certainly I was not attracted to the Inspectorate a few years ago when I might have been of that age—I am too old now—partly on the salary reason.

  264. Is it a good thing that a good proportion of planning inspectors are in a second career and they still have an income from their first career in that they were made redundant from local government or something like that?
  (Mr Birch) I think it is important that they are experienced. The point was made earlier this morning about them having ten years' experience or whatever. That is extremely important.

  265. Part of the argument about the government's position that there is no shortage and therefore the pay level must be right is that quite a lot of people are seeing it as a second career which does not have to support them and their families totally.
  (Mr Haslam) I do not personally have enough information. That is something the chief inspector may be able to help you with.

Mr Blunt

  266. Do you think there is any hope that the Inspectorate will go on strike indefinitely?
  (Mr Haslam) You must ask the inspectors that. I do not know.

Chairman

  267. What do you think the outcome of a dispute would be? Would it cause major problems?
  (Mr Haslam) All the appeals in the system would simply stop and that is not good for anybody.
  (Mr Birch) There would be a lot of pressure from developers to get it sorted quickly

  Mr Blunt: It would be rather good for the people who had the decision upheld by their local authority but the local authority overruled.

  Chairman: On that note, can I thank you very much for your evidence?


 
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