§ 26. Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his final decision about the compensation and protection arrangements relating to noise on(a) existing railway lines in Kent and (b) proposed new railway lines in Kent.
§ Mr. FreemanOn(a), I agreed during the Adjournment debate initiated on 13 January by my right hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir J. Stanley), Official Report, column 432, to reflect on the legal opinion which he had received, through the local authorities concerned, on the subject of compensation for those with properties alongside existing rail routes to the channel tunnel. I shall clarify the position to the House as soon as possible.
On (b), Union Railways has incorporated extensive noise mitigation measures in the design of the channel tunnel link and it will be for Parliament to decide, when considering a hybrid Bill to approve the project, on the adequacy of the measures. Meanwhile, the Department of Transport is currently consulting on draft regulations which will bring the arrangements for noise insulation for new railways in line with those for new highways, by making properties alongside eligible for insulation where noise exceeds certain levels. All comments received, including comments on the coverage of the regulations, will be considered carefully before regulations are laid before Parliament.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all organisations to whom his Department sent, and from whom it has received responses, regarding the consultation letter on noise insulation regulations for new railways and other guided systems, together with the addresses of each such organisation.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 18 January 1994]: The Department issued 210 copies of the consultation papers to local authorities, professional institutions, railway operators, local action groups and others. A list of the original addressees for the consultation letter of 11 October 1993 was placed in the Library of the House at the time, with a set of the consultation documents. Some 200 further copies have since been issued in response to inquiries. The consultation period has therefore been extended by two months and responses will now be accepted until 28 February. I shall subsequently inform the House of the Government's conclusions on the response to the consultation. However, it is not our practice to identify those organisations or individuals who respond to consultation exercises.