§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residential properties not physically affected by the east London river crossing have so far been purchased by his Department on compassionate grounds.
48W
§ Mr. ChopeFour properties have been purchased by the Department on the ground that conditions would be intolerable during construction of the scheme. The Department has agreed to buy one further property on those grounds, but the purchase has not yet been completed. All these purchases were agreed before the Secretary of State's powers of purchase were extended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991. I announced the new guidelines which will be applied to such purchases in an answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir J. Stanley) on 21 November 1991,Official Report, column 237.