§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures exist to inform land managers that their property may be affected by new access arrangements under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [25310]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Access to the Countryside (Maps in Draft Form) (England) Regulations 2001 require the Countryside Agency to send reduced scale maps (derived from the draft map) to prescribed consultees (including land manager and user representative organisations, as well as local and National Park authorities and parish councils), and to deposit maps with local authorities and certain libraries for public inspection. Maps must also be displayed on the internet.
The regulations do not require notification of individual land managers: much land in rural areas remains unregistered, and there is no complete list of people with an interest in the land. In particular, while the owners of most farm holdings are known to DEFRA, the ownership of—let alone other interests in—uncultivated open country and common land is often doubtful or unknown. However, the agency has written to those on the agricultural holdings database in the affected areas with information about the consultation.
The agency's extensive programme of publicity for draft maps, underwritten by the requirements in the 114W regulations for public notices, internet mapping, and consultation with representative organisations, will ensure that the overwhelming majority of land managers will be made aware of their opportunity to comment on the maps, while addressing all those interested in the maps impartially.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the expected cost of the mapping exercise being carried out under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; and if she will make a statement. [25289]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Countryside Agency expects to spend £2,670,000 and £2,800,000 on mapping open country and registered common land in the financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03 respectively. Estimates of the costs for the years 2003–04 to 2005–06 will be made in the light of experience of the first stages of the mapping exercise.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which agencies and subcontractors are employed to carry out mapping exercises under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [25290]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 9 January 2002]: The Countryside Agency's lead contractor for the mapping exercise is Binnie Black and Veatch Ltd. which has subcontracted work to: GeoData Institute (University of Southampton—providing habitat expertise and data collection, and mapping registered common land), Quentin Bell Organisation Ltd. (advising on media, publicity and other issues), and City and West End Solutions Ltd. (printing of maps).
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the arrangements are for providing copies of maps drawn up under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to(a) land managers whose property may be affected and (b) the public. [25309]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 9 January 2002]: Regulation 7 of the Access to the Countryside (Maps in Draft Form) (England) Regulations 2001 requires the Countryside Agency to supply a reduced scale map (derived from the draft map) to any person (including land managers) who requests such a map and pays a reasonable fee. The agency is charging a fee of £15 per map sheet plus a postage and packing charge of £4.99 per order.