§ Baroness Billinghamasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to streamline the inquiry procedures for major infrastructure projects. [HL4298]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonMy right honourable friend has today laid before Parliament a statutory instrument: The Town and Country Planning (Major Infrastructure Project Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2002. A departmental circular (DTLR Circular 02/2002) is also being issued today to accompany the new statutory instrument. This circular explains the new procedures for handling inquiries into those major infrastructure projects in England, as defined in the schedule to the rules. Copies of the statutory instrument and the circular have been placed in the House Libraries.
The new arrangements for major infrastructure project inquiries, which are due to come into force on 7 June, are part of the package of measures announced 35WA by my right honourable friend on 20 July 2001 to streamline the planning procedures for major infrastructure projects. The department has also consulted on a key part of that package which is the proposed introduction of new procedures to enable Parliament to make a decision in principle on applications for major projects before the detail of the application is considered at a public inquiry.
The new rules build on the improvements already made to inquiry procedure rules more generally in August 2000.
The key changes are:
The introduction of round table sessions will allow parties to discuss areas of concern with each other. Experience at other inquiries has shown that these can be a very effective means of agreeing facts and narrowing areas of disagreement both before and during the inquiry.
The introduction of a technical adviser who will be tasked with assessing the technical evidence of all parties and will produce his own independent report on the technical issues.
The introduction of mediation into inquiry proceedings which will help to narrow the issues before and during the inquiry.
A date for the delivery of the inspector's report will be announced at the end of the inquiry. This will give certainty to the parties about the length of time.
The provision to limit cross-examination where the inquiry timetable is put at risk has been introduced so that a situation should not arise where people at the beginning of an inquiry are not allowed to encroach into cross-examination time allocated to those at the end of the inquiry.
All these measures included in the rules will help to improve the inquiry system for major infrastructure projects.