§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Bill [Lords] on companies engaged in mineral extraction; what representations hit has received from such companies; and to what effect.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWe have received more than 100 representations from companies engaged in mineral extraction, principally about the provisions to reduce the amount of compensation payable when a minerals planning authority impose up-to-date conditions on a site where mineral working is already taking place. In the light of these representations, the Committee considering the Bill accepted a Government amendment to limit this amount in most cases to 10 per cent. of a notional value of the right to work minerals at the site in question. The value will be assessed in accordance with a formula to be set out in regulations and approved by Parliament. As I told the Committee, we have applied the formula we have in mind to a sample of some 10 per cent. of all mineral working hereditaments, with the following results:42W
Percentage Reduction in Compensation 35* £2,500–£4,000 Next 15 £4,000–£8,000 Next 20 £8,000–£20,000 Next 20 £20,000–£40,000 10† £40,000–£100,000 * Sites with lowest notional value. † Sites with highest notional value.