Law Change
MPs Initiatives in Parliament, 1999 to Summer 2000
Lady Gardner's Hedge Control Bill (a slightly revised version of Jim Cunningham's Bill, as he presented it in the House of Commons in the 1999) has now been amended at the Committee Stage in the House of Lords. It now includes the definition of a hedge established in Case Law during the Stanton v. Jones Case.
The Bill passed its second reading in the House of Lords on 11th January. There was a lengthy debate, most sympathetic exploration of the issues involved and much wholehearted support for the Bill.
The House of Lords Debate - Hansard 11th January 1999
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The DETR has given its answer to the questions put to them, in the House of Lords, by Baroness Gardner. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty): - My Department received some 3,000 responses to this consultation, which we are currently analysing. We hope to make a statement, setting out our decisions on the way forward on this Issue and the reasons for them, by the summer.
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Jim Cunningham M.P. and Don Foster M.P.introduced written questions in the house on the position regarding the Consultation. The Government's reply, (28th March 2000) was that they were analysing the Consultation response, and would give the results and their decision when the process was finished.
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The second reading has been again postponed. The reading did not take place on 12th May. Jim Cunningham is trying for June 9th and failing that, will continue to put the Bill on Private members' day.
We must bear in mind that although this Bill is doing a very good job in keeping the issue alive, it will not go ahead unless the Government decide to adopt it.
In recent debates on the subject the spokesman for the Government has emphasised that for a number of reasons our Bill is, in the Government's view, not necessarily the best way forward and that we must wait until the Consultation replies have been analysed and the D.E.T.R. has published its recommmendations. Jim Cunningham's private member's bill, 'to Make Provision for Hedges to be a Statutory Nuisance', received its first reading in the 1999/2000 session of Parliament on Tuesday February 29th at 4 p.m. Jim, in his excellent speech, used fresh terminology, and found fresh approaches to, what is now, a well aired subject. The speech received a warm reception in the house.
We would like to thank Jim Cunningham for his efforts on behalf of all hedge victims.
This bill is a slightly revised version of the bill presented in the House of Commons at the end of the 1998/99 session of Parliament, when it finally acheived a reading, a few days before the end of the session.
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Dr. Lynne Jones,
M.P. for the Selly Oak Constituency, Birmingham continues to give us invaluable help and support. This new EDM is the third she has introduced into the House of Commons in three consecutive Parliamentary sessions.(The previous EDM, number 101, gathered over 207 signatures before the end of its session - 1998/99).
(On December 6th EDM 133 had already been signed by 199 MPs. It gathered 210 signatures by the end of its session - 1999/00).
HIGH HEDGES
EDM 133 That this House welcomes the publication of the Consultation Paper on
high hedges, which at last holds out some hope of action to protect those
whose lives have been blighted by overgrown trees and hedges; believes
that measures to promote mediation and provide better information on
planting and growing of leylandii, and similar fast-growing trees, have a
part to play in preventing and defusing conflicts between neighbours but
will be of little assistance to those already adversely affected by a
high hedge; recognises the efforts already made by local authorities and
the police to find solutions to these disputes, but is concerned that
valuable time and resources have been unnecessarily expended tackling a
problem which, ultimately, they have no power to resolve; and, therefore,
supports Option 4 in the consultation paper, which proposes to set up a
new system of statutory powers to deal with complaints about problem
hedges.
Mr Chris Mullen M.P. has given a similar answer, in the House of Commons, to similar questions put by Dr Lynne Jones MP. (April 2000)
DETR
The Baroness Gardner of Parkes asked Her Majesty's Government,
ENVIRONMENT
TRANSPORT
REGIONS
What number of replies were received by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions by the closing date, 31st January, In response to their consultation document 'High Hedges: Possible Solutions', in support of each of the four offered options and for none of them. (HL 1814)
02/12/99
Dr Lynne Jones MP
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The meeting between Dr. Lynne Jones MP and Mr Chris Mullin MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the D.E.T.R., is presumed to have taken place on Tuesday 23rd November.
Nothing is likely to be announced concerning this meeting. The official consultation is still taking place. Dr. Jones, and other MPs attending, would have been concerned with showing the strength of their support for hedge control legislation. I spoke to her PA.
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Michael Jones and Clare met Mr Damian Green MP, Shadow Environment Minister, and Mr Denys Robinson, Permanent Parliamentary Secretary for the Lib/Dem Party in the House of Commons, on Thursday 21st October. They were asked to give support to 'the legislative control of nuisance hedges', officially to condemn the growing of these hedges and possibly to table an amendment to the Queen's Speech.
The support was taken for granted and the main subject of discussion in both meetings became the means by which controls could be imposed and and the best way the respective parties could help to bring them about.
We also met Lynne Jones (Dr. Lynne Jones MP Selly Oak, Birmingham) for a short time and she said that the problem was now well recognised and that we were now waiting for the Goverment to find a suitable way to implement controls.
She also said our best way of strengthening our support in Parliament, and so applying pressure for a speedier solution, was through individuals writing to their constituency MPs.
MPs Initiatives in Parliament during previous year, 1998 to 99
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