HL Deb 09 February 1960 vol 220 cc1025-6
LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps have been taken to expedite the acquisition of land for road purposes in accordance with the statement made by the Minister of Transport on the 29th of April, 1959 (House of Commons OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 128).]

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, my right honourable friend the present Minister of Defence made the statement to which the noble Lord refers when he was introducing special arrangements for the payment of compensation in advance. He said it was contemplated that proposals would be put forward to make it possible to complete the acquisition of land by a more expeditious procedure than at present. Legislation is being prepared and will be introduced in due course. I am glad of this opportunity to tell your Lordships that the scheme outlined by my right honourable friend last April has proved to be successful in practice.

LORD DERWENT

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply. Is it not a fact that the scheme that the then Minister of Transport outlined, which is referred to in my Question, has had the effect of giving the Treasury Solicitor longer time in which to do conveyancing, but has not speeded up the process of conveyancing by even a minute?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, perhaps I was at fault in referring to the scheme at all in my Answer, since it does not directly relate to the Question. But the scheme referred to was not intended to do that; it was intended to alleviate the position of people who were awaiting their compensation when their land was acquired; and that it has done. It was in the introduction of that scheme that other measures which are the subject of the Question were mentioned.

LORD AMWELL

My Lords, in this matter of land acquisition for roads, do facilities exist or, if not, should they not exist, for co-ordinating between the two Ministries the interests of roads and the interests of the development and maintenance of good agriculture in this country?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I think it is right to say that these interests are indeed closely pursued.

LORD AMWELL

Not always.