New clause 7 - Special provision for certain circumstances where disclosure of information as to national security may occur
Planning and Compulsory Purchase (Re-committed) Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Keith Hill (Minister of State (Housing and Planning), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Streatham, Labour)
When we finished this morning, I was considering the group of amendments headed by new clause 7 and was responding to two questions asked by the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner). The Committee will recall that he asked, first, whether the application of the new clause was broader than the application of current legislation. The answer is yes. The considerations that will apply are now national security and the security of premises and properties. Both considerations may invoke a section 321(4) procedure. Secondly, he asked whether it were possible for a public inquiry to be split between a public and a private part. The answer again is yes; the details of that appear in the inquiry procedure rules.
The hon. Member for Ludlow (Matthew Green) asked about secret developments that are visible. The answer is that we expect applications for such manifest developments, but they will also be subject to section 321 direction.
The hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir Sydney Chapman) asked about the application of human rights legislation to the proposals. I assure him that we believe that the proposals are human rights compliant. Indeed, he will recall that Ministers are required to make such a declaration in introducing all proposed legislation.
Finally, I must say a few words about the application of the amendments to Scotland. I fear that in this morning's debate I rather glossed over the Government amendments that apply to Scotland. I should like to make it clear that the substantive Scottish amendments—new clauses 41 and 45 and new schedule 3—parallel the equivalent parts of the English amendments, new clauses 6 and 16 and new schedule 1, and have a similar effect in Scotland, taking into account the differences in Scottish legislation. I hope that I have dealt with all the points raised by hon. Members.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.