Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a breakdown of costs of the public inquiry into the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor proposed development. [42157]
§ Mr. WattsThe final cost of the inquiry is not yet known but is likely to be of the order of £68,000. Of this amount, some £15,000 relates to accommodation.
Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the procedure for(a) collecting and recording statements, (b) answers to questions and (c) other matters at the public inquiry held at the Parkside hotel, Pontefract by (i) the Highways Agency and (ii) the independent inspector, (1) in the room where the inquiry was held and (2) in the room occupied by the Highways Agency; [42154]
(2) what procedure in respect of recording of statements, questions and answers was applied during the public inquiry held recently into the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor proposals by the Highways Agency. [42148]
§ Mr. WattsThe current rules of procedure for inquiries concerned with Highways Act Orders are contained in the Highways (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1994, SI 3263, which came into force on 10 January. All inquiries are subject to the rules of natural justice and are conducted by the appointed inspector on the basis of openness, fairness and impartiality. It is for the inspector to decide the order in which witnesses will be heard, statements recorded and the pattern of examination and cross-examination. Since the purpose of the inquiry is to appraise the inspector of the facts of the matter before him, the most important record is the set of notes the inspector takes himself. These notes provide the inspector with the basis for his report.
All written evidence to the inquiry became inquiry documents which were deposited in the inquiry library.
No record is kept of the proceedings in the private workrooms of the Highways Agency and its advisers.