HC Deb 15 July 1970 vol 803 cc1517-8
26. Mr. Tilney

asked the Minister of Transport what compensation will be given to owners of houses deleteriously affected by the building of new urban motorways.

Mr. Peyton

Under present arrangements, no compensation is in general payable unless land is taken.

The whole basis of compensation is under review.

Mr. Tilney

Is my right hon. Friend aware that next to a house bought by his Ministry at a fair price for motorway land there is often a house in which one's constituents have put all their savings and which has become unsaleable? Is this not very unfair?

Mr. Peyton

I would not seek in any way to deny the existence of the problem, which is, indeed, becoming increasingly serious.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Is the Minister aware that another aspect of the problem is that contractors when building motorways through urban areas frequently cause great damage to houses and that, although they are very good on apologies, they are weak on giving real help to the people concerned? Will he investigate?

Mr. Peyton

If the hon. Gentleman or any other hon. Gentleman cares to bring any case to my attention, of course I will have it examined.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Is my right hon. Friend aware that amendment of the general law of compensation so as to give it where a house is made uninhabitable although no land is taken is urgently needed from the point of view of both common justice and ensuring the acceptability of urban motorways?

Mr. Peyton

As I hope I have already indicated, I would not dream of denying the gravity of the problem, but at this stage I do not think I should go beyond saying that the whole problem of compensation is under review.

Mr. Lipton

Do something.

Mr. Peyton

The hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) may exhort me to do something, but I hope he will give me time.