§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total cost to date of court action taken against protestors against the M3 Twyford Down section; and what amount he expects to recoup from protestors.
§ Mr. Key[holding answer 27 June 1994]: This question relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. John Denham, dated 30 June 1994:
The Minister for Roads and Traffic, Mr. Robert Key, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the cost of court action against protestors against the M3 through Twyford Down and how much we expect to recover from them.The total cost of legal fees to date in connection with action against trespassers on the M3 construction site is approximately £216,000 excluding VAT.The amount of award against the defendants is the matter for adjudication by the Court.