Catalogue description National Parks Committee (Hobhouse Committee) and Wildlife Conservation Special Committee (Huxley Committee): Minutes, Papers and Reports

The National Parks Committee was set up by the Minister of Town and Country Planning on 21 July 1945 under the chairmanship of Sir Arthur Hobhouse.

In the foreword of the Report on National Parks in England and Wales by Mr J.Dower (Cmd 6628), it was said that further preliminary work was necessary on the subject of National Parks. It was to undertake this work that the Committee was appointed with the following terms of reference:-

a) to consider the proposal in the Report on National Parks in England and Wales (Cmd 6628) 4 May 1945, as to the areas which should be selected as National Parks, and to make recommendations in regard to the special requirements and appropriate boundaries of these areas which, in the view of the Committee, should be first selected;

b) to consider and report on the proposals made in that report as to the measures necessary to secure the objects of National Parks and on any additional measures which in the view of the Committee are necessary to secure these objects;

c) to consider and make recommendations on such other matters affecting the establishment of National Parks and the Conservation of Wild Life as may be referred by the Minister to the Committee.

The Wild Life Conservation Special Committee was set up at the same time as the National Parks Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr J.S.Huxley, and served as an advisory committee to it. Its terms of reference were:-

a) to consider the proposals set out in paragraphs 60-68 of the Report on National Parks in England and Wales (Cmd 6628) (See Series COU 1/20.)as to the Conservation of Wild Life, and to advise the National Parks Committee in regard to any modifications in these proposals, or on any additional measures which, in the view of the Special Committee, may be necessary or desirable.

b) to consider such other matters relating to Wild Life Conservation as may be referred by the Minister of Town and Country Planning to the National Parks Committee and delegated by them to the Special Committee.