STATEMENT by Alun Michael, Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

"The Inspector has recommended the exclusion of some areas that are within the boundary proposed in the Countryside Agency's Designation Order, and the addition of three small areas which were not included. I am minded to agree the three additions, expanding one of them to take in a further area of land outside the Designation Order boundary. In addition, I have decided to retain two areas within the Park that the Inspector recommended should be excluded.

Under the provisions of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, details of the proposed additions to the Designation Order boundary will be made available to the public for a minimum of 28 days, to enable any objections and representations to be made. Details of where and when details of the proposed additions can be viewed, and the time limits for the receipt of objections and representations, will be advertised shortly in the national and local press. I will consider all duly made objections and representations and if necessary call a public inquiry or a hearing to consider them. When the boundary is finalised, I will announce the confirmation of the Designation Order with its final modifications as well as the date for the creation of the National Park.

I propose also to commit to confirming the Order made by the Countryside Agency to revoke the South Hampshire Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to coincide with the park coming into being.

The New Forest National Park as now proposed would cover over 95 per cent of the land currently designated as the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it would be inappropriate to have concurrent national landscape designations.

Depending on the successful conclusion of the further steps required to confirm the Designation Order, I propose to bring forward a further Order under the provisions of the Environment Act 1995 to create a National Park Authority. I expect the new Authority to take on its full range of statutory powers and functions from 1 April 2006."