HL Deb 20 October 1976 vol 375 cc1468-9WA
Lord O'HAGAN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which Ministries or Departments are responsible for highway inquiries and their reform.

Baroness BIRK

It is intended that the functions prescribed in the first Schedule to the Highways Act 1959, which include the holding of local inquiries into draft highways schemes and orders, will be exercised jointly by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for the Environment. An order giving effect to these arrangements, which are designed to preserve the existing links which need to be maintained between transport, land-use planning and other environmental considerations, and to other arrangements arising from the setting up of the Department of Transport will be laid before the House shortly. Similarly, the highways inquiries procedures will be reviewed jointly in consultation with the Council on Tribunals.