§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of footpaths are open in each local authority area in England; which authorities have applied for grant money to help with reopening of paths; how much money they have received; and if he will publish this information each week. [160815]
§ Ms Beverley HughesI refer to the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 3 May 2001.Official Report, column 754W. The Countryside Agency's website (http://www.countryside.gov.uk/footandmouth/) provides information about the reopening of rights of way for every local highway authority in England, including the percentage of the length of rights of way open in each area, where this information is available. The agency's website is continually updated.
258WI also draw my hon. Friend's attention to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) on 8 May 2001, Official Report, column 37W, and to my Department's press release on the same day which listed the percentage of public rights of way open for each county council area in England.
The Countryside Agency has so far received 47 applications for grants to help meet the costs of reopening paths, and has made offers of grant in response to these applications. A list of those authorities which have applied for grants and the amount of grant offered by the Countryside Agency are set out in the table. I shall provide further information on progress with the grant scheme in due course.
259W
Rights of Way and Access Land Recovery Fund: Summary of applications received and grant offers as at 9 May 2001 Region/Authority Grant offer(£) North West Cheshire CC 28,875 Oldham 12,925 Lake District National Park Authority 45,000 Blackpool 7,013 Lancashire 7,026 North East North Tyneside 9,000 Darlington BC 7,500 Northumberland CC 20,353 Durham CC 52,155 Northumberland National park 15,750 City of Sunderland 4,800 South West Wiltshire CC 30,599 Cornwall CC 44,000 Devon CC 36,600 Dorset CC 35,625 Dartmoor National Park 33,765 North Somerset 10,500 South East and London Isle of Wight Council 22,500 Buckinghamshire CC 24,450 Kent CC 14,438 Oxfordshire CC 7,500 West Berkshire CC 10,594 Royal Borough Windsor and Maidenhead 11,625 East of England Cambridge CC 21,638 Hertfordshire 37,984 Norfolk CC 49,500 Yorkshire and the Humber Barnsley MBC 27,313 Yorkshire Dales National Park and Craven DC 25,122 North Yorkshire Moors National Park 11,475 Calderdale MBC 26,060 North Yorkshire CC etc. 24,776 Doncaster MBC 10,275 City of York 11,625 East Riding CC 17,262 Hambleton DC (via North Yorks CC) 3,582 West Midlands Warwickshire CC 45,000 Shropshire CC 25,875 Staffordshire CC 45,000 Telford and Wrekin CC 5,000 Worcestershire CC 32,250 Herefordshire CC 45,000 East Midlands
Rights of Way and Access Land Recovery Fund: Summary of applications received and grant offers as at 9 May 2001 Region/Authority Grant offer(£) Leicestershire CC 34,000 Northamptonshire CC 8,588 Derbyshire CC 45,000 Peak District National Park 25,275 Nottinghamshire CC 13,986 Rutland CC 10,838 Total 1,095,017