UK Parliament / Open data

Planning Bill

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I seek some clarification. On the authority and power being given to the Infrastructure Planning Commission, the Minister said that the fourth safeguard was the national policy statement. Therefore, the IPC operates under an authority granted it by the NPS. I draw the Minister’s attention to Clause 101, which sets out the parameters of the decision-making of the panel and council. Subsection (3) states: "““The Panel or Council must decide the application in accordance with any relevant national policy statement, except.””" Then, in subsection (7), the exception is, "““if the Panel or Council is satisfied that the adverse impact of the proposed development would outweigh its benefits.””" It seems to me that what is being argued is that there is to be an exception to the national policy statement. Who determines the benefits or loses to the project or the community? We are given no suggestion about that in the legislation. However, it shows those of us who are concerned about the authority accruing to the Infrastructure Planning Commission that not only is it able to set aside certain orders, it can also set aside the national policy statement. Can the Minister give an undertaking to rethink that proposal as well?
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
704 c975 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Legislation
Planning Bill 2007-08
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