§ 3.42 p.m.
§ Lord MAISMy Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time. We covered a considerable amount of ground during the Second Reading, but I should like to refer to Part II of the Bill in particular. Once again, this part of the Bill was designed to authorise the Corporation, in their capacity as conservators of Epping Forest, to grant the Minister of Transport interest and rights in the forest or on forest land to the extent of some 14½ acres which the Minister requires for the construction of the M.25—a motorway connecting, or running between, the A.10 at Bull Cross and the M.11. As was fully explained by the promoters on Second Reading on the 15th November, if this length of motorway is to be constructed on the land chosen, the road at that point will be built in tunnel, and that tunnel will run under Bell Common. I think it is fair to say that ultimately no harm at all will be done to the forest, but one must accept the fact that during the construction work the tunnel will be built by the formation of an open cut. There is bound to be some disfiguration for a period of time, but we are perfectly satisfied that when the back-fill takes place and the top soil is replaced, the forest can be restored to its normal beauty.
One or two questions were raised on Second Reading by the noble Lord, Lord Underhill. He put forward a query as to the length of the road and its passage 1376 through the forest and as to the effect it might have on the wildlife of the forest. This was considered very carefully and at great length by the Select Committee, which sat for five days under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Derwent, to consider the petition of the Upshire Preservation Society, who petitioned against Part II of the Bill. After hearing the evidence which was submitted by the promoters and the case by the petitioners, the committee were satisfied that Part II should be approved.
A further question raised by the noble Lord, Lord Underhill, concerned the reinstatement and restoration of the forest when the work was finished. This again was considered in very considerable detail by the committee, and they were satisfied that ultimately it would be restored. The recommendation was approved.
There were other provisions in the Bill which were unopposed by petitioners, and these were subsequently considered by the Lord Chairman, assisted by the noble Viscounts, Lord Hood and Lord Simon. They were satisfied with the promoters' proposals with regard to Part III of the Bill relating to Billingsgate Market. Subject to certain amendments to that part of the Bill, it was approved in committee.
They also considered Clause 18 of the Bill with regard to the Museum of London. This was to bring the museum into line with other local authority and national museums, so that the governors of the museum would be able to make a charge for special exhibitions and also to bring them into line with other museums should there ever be a change in Government policy relating to charges for ordinary admission. During the Second Reading I made it clear, I hope, to your Lordships, and it was certainly made clear to the committee, that there was no intention at this stage for the City of London Museum to make charges for ordinary admission. That point was likewise approved by the committee. I think that is all I can say at this stage to help your Lordships. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a.—(Lord Mais.)
1377§ 3.47 p.m.
§ Lord UNDERHILLMy Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Mais, has mentioned, I intervened at Second Reading of this Bill and it is not my intention to speak in opposition to its Third Reading, particularly as a committee has sat for five complete days and gone into this matter exhaustively. However, perhaps I should say that the petitioners have raised with me, purely as a Member of your Lordships' House, the whole question as to whether or not this matter should have been the subject of a Private Bill, on the grounds that the proposals can be of no benefit to the forest or to the City of London, as such. It may be of benefit to people in parts of Greater London, but it cannot be of any benefit to the forest. Your Lordships will he pleased to know that I do not intend to pursue this legal argument, and in any case it may have been better for this matter to be raised through the City and Corporation of London because, as conservators, I recognise that they have done a splendid job for the forest over the years. I am sure they will continue to do so, and even in this particular case they have mitigated any damage to the forest. I should like to place on record an appreciation of voluntary bodies which take up matters of this kind, because unless we have such bodies we could find ourselves in the hands of planners, who leave us with concrete jungles and damage a great deal of our heritage.
In a short while your Lordships will undoubtedly be dealing with the Heritage Bill. It is all right to have a Heritage Bill dealing with properties, but heritages such as Epping Forest, once damaged, cannot be replaced. Those of us who have taken a keen interest in this matter are concerned about the encroachment over the years. We are still worried about what might be the Ministry's decision regarding the links at the Leytonstone or Wanstead end of the M11 and what effect they will have on parts of the forest in those areas which have already been damaged by the encirclement byroads, and also whether there is likely to be any further encroachment upon the forest as a result of any major schemes in the future. One never likes to give stress to people, but I am certain that in Epping Forest there will be great concern if in the future there are to be any more 1378 large encroachments such as further six-lane motorways through Epping Forest. There will be a limit to how much we can stand, and I am certain that this House will need to keep very much in mind the name of Epping Forest if there are to be further encroachments of this kind.
§ Lord LEATHERLANDMy Lords, like my noble friend I am very jealous regarding the future of Epping Forest. Perhaps I have a special interest in it, because my back garden gate leads directly into the forest and I have the pleasure of walking through its verdant pastures and woods every morning. I feel that the City of London Corporation adopts a very responsible view in regard to its custody of Epping Forest. Epping Forest is a very well-managed slice of woodland which, in addition to being very well-managed, is allowed to remain virtually in its natural state, and I would hesitate to see any interference with the manner in which the City Corporation now exercises its functions over the forest. With particular regard to the roadworks which are now proposed, I think it is fair to say that the road does not go very far through the wooded part of the forest, but largely goes over grass-surfaced fields. Therefore, I have no fears whatsoever as to the future beauty of the forest if these proposals are allowed to go through.
§ 3.51 p.m.
§ Lord MOWBRAY and STOURTONMy Lords, I should like to welcome on behalf of the Government the Committee's decision to allow Part II of this Bill. I should also like to take this opportunity to reassure the noble Lord, Lord Underhill, and the noble Lord, Lord Leatherland, that we have no plans for major new roads crossing the forest, other than the one discussed in Part II of this Bill. The M25, as your Lordships know already, has the highest priority in the Government's road building programme and the section through Epping Forest forms an essential part of the whole.
This part of the route has been the subject of an extensive public inquiry. It was considered in detail by a Select Committee in another place and the Committee of this House spent five days 1379 giving it the most careful consideration. I hope that those who may be concerned about the Bill's effect on Epping Forest will now rest assured that the route of the M25 proposed is the right one and that everything possible is being done to safeguard the forest. Finally, I should like to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Mais, on the admirable manner in which he has piloted this Bill through your Lordships' House and I should like to commend the Bill to the House.
On Question, Bill read 3a, with the amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.