§ Mr. Joel Barnettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on compensation paid to householders in respect of excessive noise caused by the building of trunk motorways in close proximity to residential property, one example having recently been provided by the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, where a constituent of his in Milnrow was refused compensation for double glazing which was fitted to bedroom windows for the sole purpose of reducing noise levels to enable a normal night's sleep to be obtained.
§ Mr. SpeedThe hon. Members' constituent was not entitled to compensation under the existing law. The White Paper, Development and Compensation—Putting People First (Cmnd. 5124) includes a proposal to alter the law to provide com-158W pensation for a significant drop in the value of a dwelling caused by neighbouring public development brought into use after 17th October 1969, and a discretionary power for highway authorities to sound insulate dwellings affected by noise from highway works of specified kinds brought into use between 17th October. 1969, and 17th October, 1972.