§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 mapping exercise was up until 31 May; and what the budgeted cost was. [118170]
§ Alun MichaelBy the end of May 2003, the Countryside Agency had spent £15.7 million on implementing Part 1 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, mostly on mapping open countryside and registered common land. This figure covers all costs of the project, including staff, appeals and publicity costs (as required by the Act) and include accruals for mapping work completed but not yet invoiced. In addition, the Planning Inspectorate had spent £1.65 million to the end of May on dealing with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps.
By the end of March 2003 the Countryside Agency had spent £13.5 million on implementing Part 1 of the Act against a budget of £12.7 million up until the end of March 2003. The budget for the project is kept under review and revised regularly.
§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated total cost of mapping the countryside under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 was in(a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) to date; and if she will make a statement. [118349]
§ Alun MichaelBy the end of May 2003, the Countryside Agency had spent a total of £15.7 million on implementing Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, mostly on mapping open countryside and registered common land. This figure includes expenditure of £2.5 million in 2000–01; £3.4 million in 877W 2001–02; £7.6 million in 2002–03 and £2.2 million in 2003–04 and covers all costs of the project, including staff, appeals and publicity costs (as required by the Act) and include accruals for mapping work completed but not yet invoiced. In addition, the Planning Inspectorate had spent £1.65 million to the end of May 2003 on dealing with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps.