Green Spaces

Baroness Deech Excerpts
Thursday 1st February 2024

(9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Penn Portrait Baroness Penn (Con)
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It will depend on the particular arrangements for each park or playground, but local authorities are responsible for around 85% of urban parks in England. On which department is responsible, it is my department, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Baroness Deech Portrait Baroness Deech (CB)
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My Lords, why are the Government intent on wrecking the only available green space near Parliament, Victoria Tower Gardens, which serves an underprivileged population? They are doing it contrary to the 1900 Act, which preserved it as an open space, in order to build an ugly memorial and an inadequate learning centre that is too small and not wanted by Holocaust survivors.

Baroness Penn Portrait Baroness Penn (Con)
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My Lords, on the legal point, I believe the department is bringing forward legislation to address that. I am sure there will be further discussion of the points the noble Baroness makes when we discuss that Bill.