Consultation
7.The Department issued consultation documents in March 1999, in relation to proposals included in the Planning (Amendment) Bill, and in January 2002, in relation to the Strategic Planning Bill, to a large number of organisations and individuals, including Ministers, Members of the Assembly, district councils, Northern Ireland departments, statutory consultees under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1975 and those who were primarily consulted on the regional development strategy.
8.In accordance with the requirement for consultation with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Civic Forum and Equality Commission, which did not exist when the 1999 public consultation first took place, these consultees were consulted on the proposals and no comments were received.