Tourism: Regulation

Lord Judd Excerpts

Tuesday 4th December 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I am informed by my noble friend sitting next to me, whose responsibility this is, that the department is looking at that precise question.

[Lord Judd (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a former president of Friends of the Lake District and currently as a vice-president of the Campaign for National Parks. I assure the Minister that many of us feel that the parks should play a crucial role in tourist development—but tourist development to ensure that people have access to national parks. The Minister says that the Government are trying to maintain a balance between different interests, but will he agree that until recently it was specifically spelled out in legislation that scenic beauty and character were to take precedence in all decisions affecting development in national parks? They are not there as theme parks.

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I cannot completely agree with the noble Lord, although I sympathise with his general approach. For example, if a village or town in a national park needs mobile signal, a mast may be necessary. I am afraid that the natural environment and natural beauty do not always take precedence.