Mr Spencer Le Marchant: It is a great privilege to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Sir T. Kitson), who has paid careful attention to this subject for many years. He has brought to our attention the aspects of living within a national park. I feel proud, too, that at least 50 per cent. of hon. Members in the Chamber this morning come from or live within 10 miles of the Peak park. I look at the...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Equally, we must recognise that we now believe that 15 million people come to the Peak park every year. On a fine afternoon in summer, if we are lucky enough to get one, we have 100,000 cars. So we are conscious of our responsibilities. The hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead) has not only lived in the park all his life, but he married into a family which has lived there for 200...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: No.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Which one?
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Continue.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Mr. Spencer Le Marchant (Comptroller of Her Majesty's Household) rose—
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I beg to move.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Order
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Rubbish.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I should like first to thank the House for the opportunity that I was given to visit Papua New Guinea. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, personally for the interest that you have shown in our trip, both before and after our visit. I should like to thank the two High Commissioners—Mr. Reiher, who was the acting High Commissioner for Papua New Guinea, for the help that he gave us before we left, and...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Wait and see.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Does my hon. Friend agree that the Minister is really suggesting that he does not expect to be in power in a year or two and that therefore he is going to oppose this amendment because he would rather that something were put on a per- manent basis, so that when he is not in power it would mean repealing the Act?
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Will the hon. Gentleman say what sector of the Opposition there is apart from the Tory Opposition?
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman. It is no new problem. It happened during Caesar's time. When he got back from one of his—
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I was not there. You were. I am sorry, Mr. Deputy Speaker. You certainly were not there. The hon. Gentleman might have been. When Caesar went back to Rome in 47—I think it was with the Tenth Legion —he asked the Senate for one acre of land and a cottage for each legionnaire. He got it, but only after he had threatened the Senate that he would loose the legionnaires on Rome. I believe...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I beg to move, That this House calls upon Her Majesty's Government to bring forward proposals for a railway policy which meets the needs of passengers, customers and taxpayers while ensuring a future for the industry. I am grateful that today I have a larger hearing than I did when you were last in the Chair, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am also grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr....
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that proper use is made of rail land? As we go round the country we all see an enormous quantity of rail land and cannot help feeling that under British Rail's new policy much more use should be made of it.
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I want to speak on the unsatisfactory nature of highway planning procedures. Following the very clear ruling that you have given, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I should tell you that an hour ago I rang the Department of the Environment and got from it an agreement that I could raise this subject. I rang again half an hour ago and was told that there was considerable difficulty in getting hold of the...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: I hope that while deprecating it officially, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you will feel that I am not out of order in taking the opportunity to say a few very brief words on this subject. I believe that the conduct of inquiries on road planning has been appalling in these past few years. I believe that the whole country is distressed at what is happening. We should all congratulate the inspectors...
Mr Spencer Le Marchant: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I should like it to be known that I personally feel that the people of Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge would benefit enormously from the provision of a bypass. I equally feel for the people on the surrounding land that is now blighted by a potential inquiry and who cannot sell their houses and consequently are suffering considerably as a result of this...
