HC Deb 15 February 1994 vol 237 c718W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the economic and social cost of land safeguarded for possible future extensions to the motorway network.

Mr. Key

The purpose of safeguarding is to prevent development which would prove abortive if the scheme goes ahead, thus avoiding waste of resource and cost to the taxpayer. In so far as this in itself imposes economic and social costs, the statutory provisions on blight are aimed at compensating those who are affected.