§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will respond to the consultation on greater protection and better management of common land in England and Wales. [53022]
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§ Alun MichaelDue to the number and complexity of the issues raised, progress has been slower than hoped. We expect to announce our proposals for future action and to publish a detailed report on the responses to the consultation paper soon.
§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in how many cases in England and Wales common land grazing rights have been sold separately from the land they were previously associated with since 1972. [53021]
§ Alun MichaelThere is no requirement in the Commons Registration Act 1965, or other legislation, for the Commons Registration Authorities to be notified when grazing rights are separated from the land with which they were previously associated. Consequently no figures on the number of cases are available.
§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the House of Lords ruling in the case Bettison v Langton and others for the future management and protection of common land. [53020]
§ Alun MichaelThe Bettison v Langton judgment made it conclusive in law that rights of common of grazing, registered for a fixed number of animals as required by the Commons Registration Act 1965, could be severed from the common land to which they were originally attached. This judgment could have significant implications for the management of common land.
We have already issued guidance to the Commons Registration Authorities on how to record severance on the register of common land if they are notified it has taken place. In the consultation document "Greater Protection and Better Management of Common Land in England and Wales" we invited views on the idea of preventing severance. We expect to announce our conclusions soon.