Public Path Orders: Recovery of Costs

HL Deb 28 March 1996 vol 570 cc147-8WA

Viscount St. Davids

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will announce the results of the recent review of the Local Authorities (Recovery of Costs for Public Path Orders) Regulations.

Earl Ferrers

We have accepted the central conclusion of the review into the operation of the Local Authorities (Recovery of Costs for Path Orders) Regulations, which is that the maximum charge for administrative costs does not, in most cases, cover the costs incurred by local authorities.

We therefore intend to amend the Regulations to remove the current £400 ceiling. Instead, local authorities will be required to draw up scales of charges, indicating the likely cost for unopposed orders and the maximum cost which they would charge. This change will be implemented by amending regulations, which we hope to have in place by the summer.