§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what additional funding he will make available to local authorities for work on the rights of way network consequent upon the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill. [129402]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 6 July 2000]: Local authorities will be properly and reasonably funded for additional rights of way tasks. The funding expected to be required as a result of the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill is identified in the explanatory notes that accompany the Bill as between £12 million and £19 million per annum. We shall determine the exact sums to be made available in the next three years in the light of the outcome of the current spending review.