Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Dartmoor National Park (Access)

19 April 2023 · 2 other contributors

Opened by Anthony Mangnall Con Crewe and Nantwich

Agriculture & Rural AffairsEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Anthony Mangnall raised concerns about dartmoor national park (access) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • The Bill aims to protect the balance of activity on Dartmoor between recreational, environmental, and agricultural sectors.
  • It seeks to mitigate confusion arising from laws like the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
  • The Bill promotes engagement with all stakeholders including landowners and encourages collaborative initiatives.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Anthony Mangnall Con Crewe and Nantwich

The Bill seeks to protect the balance of activity on Dartmoor between recreational, environmental, and agricultural sectors by requiring the Secretary of State to publish proposals for a scheme that incentivises landowners within Dartmoor National Park to allow enhanced access in certain circumstances. It aims to mitigate confusion arising from various laws like the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, promote engagement with all stakeholders including landowners, and encourage collaborative initiatives such as the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and environmental land management.

Other contributors (2)
  • Anthony Mangnall Con Crewe and Nantwich

    The Bill focuses specifically on Dartmoor National Park and aims to enhance access while protecting agricultural, environmental, and recreational activities. It calls for an independent inquiry into the management of the moor and suggests creating a stronger mission to connect people with national parks, expanding volunteering, educating stakeholders, and developing services to protect the park from damage.

  • Richard Foord Lib Dem Honiton and Sidmouth

    Mr. Foord argued against the Bill proposed by Mr. Mangnall, expressing his opposition to enhanced access, land ownership changes, and incentives for landowners. He highlighted that Dartmoor already has extensive public rights of way and that many landowners are not responsible stewards. He pointed out that companies like South West Water, which owns a significant portion of the moor, have been rewarded by the Government despite negative environmental impacts. Mr. Foord also criticised the government's approach to incentivising farmers through ELMS (Environmental Land Management Scheme), citing low uptake due to its complexity and bureaucracy. Furthermore, he questioned the fairness of providing incentives to wealthy landowners for public access.

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