To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the representations he has received concerning section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 have been favourable and how many have criticised the section or the way it has worked.

Of the 126 representations about section 28 received by my Department since the section came into force, 37 of them were in favour of the section, 75 critical and 14 general queries expressing no preference.