HC Deb 05 November 2003 vol 412 cc633-4W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when she will publish guidance to those wishing to dedicate their land as access land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; [135813]

(2) what additional funding is to be made available to the Forestry Commission to enable them to dedicate their freehold land for access under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; [135814]

(3) what measures she will take to encourage public bodies to dedicate suitable landholdings as access land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; [135815]

(4) what steps she will take in promoting to landowners the opportunities available to them to dedicate their land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; [135816]

(5) what measures she has taken to inform other Government Departments about the possibilities of dedicating land as access land under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; and what response there has been. [135817]

Alun Michael

I expect to publish guidance and model dedication instruments for those wishing to dedicate their land by the beginning of December 2003. I have discussed with the Forestry Commission what funds might be needed to ensure that they are able to meet their commitment on dedication of their freehold estate.

We are developing a strategy for promoting dedication to landowners, which will highlight the benefits of dedication, including the reduced liability that owners will incur and the opportunities to realise the potential that increasing visitor numbers has on the rural economy. This will build on the work undertaken by the Forestry Commission in 2001 when it ran seminars to encourage dedication by woodland owners.

I wrote to Ministers in all Departments in February 2002 about the scope for dedication of land held by Government Departments and sponsored non-departmental public bodies. I have also pursued this point with some commercial organisations that are significant landowners. Now that the dedication regulations have been laid, I will be following this correspondence up, not least to encourage all Government Departments to actively consider the extent to which their landholdings can be dedicated under section 16 and to ensure that the option is widely understood by private sector landowners.