§ Lord Onslow of Wokingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action has been taken to prevent the spread of ragwort along the verges of motorways in England and Wales; and what has been done in the case of other trunk roads. [HL1927]
§ Baroness HaymanThe policy in England and Wales is to control ragwort in accordance with the code of practice for routine maintenance. However, in England, financial constraints in 1996 and 1997 meant that a more reactive policy in response to complaints was adopted. For this financial year, it is expected to move, once again, towards meeting the full requirements of the code. This code is used as a means of ensuring uniform standards and the right level of maintenance across the network for all managing agents.