National Development Bill
Sir,—The proposed National Development Bill is a wonderful piece of dictatorial legislation — whatever is deemed to be of “national interest” being exempt from all normal planning procedures and licensing approvals, One of the central ideas behind the bill is to streamline the planning process and here there is some merit in the proposal. However, another major part of the bill is that it removes most avenues of public participation from the planning process and hence threatens the democratic basis upon which our society functions. Who knows—in five years time it might be in the “national interest” for the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to consult no-one at al! on such matters. By logical extension in ten we may have an "Enabling Law” introduced with which Hitler in 1933 was given the power
to make any law he wished. The erosion of people’s rights is one of the major problems facing this country. If we don’t object to things we don’t like now we will not be able to later. In the light of this the National Development Bill is worth fighting all the way.—Yours etc., ROSS DOWLING. October 10, 1979.
Sir.—Mr D. J. Round is a little late with his protestation that "if people have no constitutional means of making themselves heard on decisions made ‘on their behalf,’ then they will turn to unconstitutional ones.” The men who recently gave us earless days and who now promote the National Development Bill (Messrs Birch and Brill) sharpened their teeth two years ago on the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act. At that time Mr Round enthusiastically supported a system in which “Hearings are hasty, and with virtually no appeal.” As he now forecasts, the result was a major revolt against the State institutions, including a permanent loss of credibility for Parliament itself. Those who offered comfort to legislators at that time must share the blame for the authoritarian actions thus initiated. — Yours, etc.. ALAN WILKINSON. October 11, 1979.
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Press, 12 October 1979, Page 16
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330National Development Bill Press, 12 October 1979, Page 16
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