Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I come from Somerset where we have one national park, shared with Devon, and a number of areas of outstanding natural beauty. The interests of the residents of national parks are more important than those of visitors to national parks; after all, most of the residents live there all 12 months of the year and, if they were not there, there would be far less of interest, beauty and accessibility for the visitors to benefit from. I would like the balance tilted somewhat in favour of the residents. Perhaps I should mention that national parks came into being as a result of a report from a commission chaired by Sir Arthur Hobhouse, who was a neighbour and friend of my father. Maybe one way out of the dilemma—it was hinted at by the noble Lord, Lord Judd, who wanted a further period of reflection—is that there should be at least a convention. Perhaps it should be referred to or incorporated in some way in the legislation, but its practical effect should be that the Secretary of State would only or at least usually appoint elected councillors—and especially the parish councillors to which the noble Earl, Lord Peel, referred—from the area of the park in question, not from the rest of the county or district so that those councillors are not actually resident or representing the people in question. I offer that as a conceivable way out of the difficulty.