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Planning Appeal Procedures
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill):
On 15 January, Official Report, columns 43–44WS, I announced our intention, following a review, to consult on proposals to amend the planning appeals procedures rules and regulations to allow third parties a further opportunity to comment on the main parties' appeal statements at the nine-week stage of an appeal. This would bring the opportunities for third parties to
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comment in line with the opportunities that local planning authorities and appellants have to make representations.
We received an overwhelmingly positive response to the proposals. We therefore intend to amend the relevant planning appeals procedures to allow third parties an additional opportunity to make representations on appeals at the nine-week stage as well as the six-week stage. The consultation document, however, made clear that the proposed change to the arrangements would only come into affect once the planning casework system (PCS) was operational. The PCS will facilitate electronic appeals and thus the availability of all appeal documents for inspection on-line/electronically. I now expect this to be in place by March 2005 and we will amend the appeals procedures at that point.
Regional Planning Guidance for the South-East
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill): My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is today publishing the alterations to chapter 12 of the regional planning guidance for the south-east: the Ashford growth area. This follows the public examination into the draft alterations in December 2003, the panel report in February 2004 and the consultation on the Secretary of State's proposed changes that closed on 17th June 2004.
The alterations represent a revision to the regional planning guidance for the south-east (RPG9), as published in March 2001. On commencement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act the alterations will be part of a statutory regional special strategy (RSS).
The alterations aim to achieve sustainable growth in Ashford, which was identified as a growth area in RPG9. They set out the scale and form of development at Ashford to 2016, and form a special framework for the preparation of local planning documents and other relevant policy documents.
The consultation period for the proposed changes to the draft alterations ended on the 17 June with 40 responses from individuals or organisations. These mainly related to issues which had already been raised at the public examination and therefore only minor changes to the proposed alterations have been made.
Planning Inspectorate
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill): I have today laid before the House a copy of the planning inspectorate's annual report and accounts for 2003–04.
The report gives an overview of the performance of the inspectorate and highlights the ways in which it is contributing to the Government's planning reform agenda. It demonstrates the importance of a credible, accessible planning tribunal service which is open, transparent and impartial.
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Copies of the report have been made available in the Libraries of the House.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Pesticides Safety Directorate
The Minister for Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality (Alun Michael): The 2003–04 annual report and accounts for the pesticides safety directorate were laid before Parliament today.
Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
Illegal Meat Imports
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Ben Bradshaw): As required under the Animal Health Act 1981 the Government will publish today a review of controls on the import of animal products for the financial year 2003–04. We welcome the opportunity to report on progress made in the past year.
Seizures of illegally imported animal products have doubled in the past year. This has been delivered by continuing to follow the three key principles of:
evidence based policy;
investment in enforcement; and
securing better public engagement and awareness.
Over the course of the year customs has built up its enforcement activity in relation to products of animal origin. There has been a sustained effort inland, at the borders, and overseas, to increase the travelling public's awareness of the restrictions relating to importing products of animal origin. The Food Standards Agency has also worked with local and port health authorities to achieve a step change in the enforcement of controls on imported food inland.
Also published today is an assessment of the risks of foot and mouth disease and certain pig diseases entering the country through illegally imported meat. This has been refined since last year when it only considered foot and mouth disease. The results of this are available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali/pdf/risk-assessment04.pdf
The Government will continue to develop their approach to managing the risk posed by illegal imports. Working with all agencies involved, we will continue to build on enforcement activity and work to raise awareness of the rules.
Copies of the review will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the DEFRA illegal imports website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali/pdf/annual-review04.pdf
The risk assessment is available on the DEFRA illegal imports website:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali/pdf/risk-assessment04.pdf
Hard copies are available on request.