§ 31. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport what arrangements he makes to ensure detailed and adequate consideration by his Department of modifications subsequently proposed to draft plans for routes of motorways by individual land-owners concerned.
§ Mr. HayAll such proposals receive individual and careful consideration. This includes local investigation, whenever necessary, and correspondence or discussion with the interests affected. The decisions on these proposals are taken only after careful consideration of the merits of each case.
§ Mr. DigbyIs my hon. Friend aware that great hardship and inconvenience is caused to farmers by the severance of part of their farms? Would it not be better for representation to be made at an earlier stage, when it is easier to alter the line of a motorway?
§ Mr. HayPerhaps my hon. Friend does not quite appreciate that two stages are involved. The first stage, which is imposed on the Minister of Transport by Statute, is to have preliminary discussions with interests which may be affected by a motorway scheme—interests such as the National Farmers' Union and the 420 Country Landowners' Association. Only after those have been concluded does the Minister publish a draft scheme, which is open to individual objections, for example, by farmers. That scheme itself may be modified in the light of the representations which are made.