§ 44. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport whether, in deciding the route for new motorways, it is his policy not to consult local land owners before the publication of plans; and to what extent account is taken of existing farm boundaries when drawing up these plans.
§ Mr. MarplesThere are consultations through the Ministry of Agriculture, with national representatives of the Country Landowners Association, and the National Farmers' Union, before draft schemes are published.
Farm boundaries are plotted and taken into account in drawing up a draft scheme, but there would be little advantage in detailed discussions with individual interests at this early planning stage. Individual land-owners have the opportunity to propose modifications before a decision is taken whether to make or modify a draft scheme.