HC Deb 11 July 1973 vol 859 cc1519-20
21. Mr. Sutcliffe

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in response to correspondence he has had with the Churches Main Committee and the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, West, he will end the hardship suffered by two Teesside churches blighted by the A66 road development and make possible their reinstatement without further delay.

Mr. Graham Page

It will not be established for some time whether the site of either church will be wanted for the development. Acquisition at the present stage would therefore be premature, but I see no reason why contingency arrangements to reserve sites for new churches should not be made with the local authority.

Mr. Sutcliffe

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that helpful reply.

Will he, without prejudice to compensation in two or three years' time when this route for the A66 is finally decided, now write to the churches giving them his express authority to start negotiations, so that time may be saved?

Mr. Graham Page

I do not think that it is for me to give the churches authority. The Teesside County Borough Council has already reserved a site for the Thornaby Methodist Church. I hope that the other church will enter into negotiations with the local authority for the reservation of a site.