Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Lord Rooker was reflecting government policy when he said in the debate on the Address on 13 November in relation to the green belt that ““Mostly it is rubbish land”” (Official Report, col. 460); and, if so, what criteria are used to define ““rubbish land””.
Answer
My remarks in the debate on the Address reflected the fact that green belt land is of very variable quality in environmental terms. This fact is acknowledged in government policy. The Government have said repeatedly that they are committed to the principles of the green belt and that they have no plans to make fundamental changes to green belt planning policy.