HL Deb 09 March 2004 vol 658 cc157-8WA
Lord Astor of Hever

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What agreements have been reached between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on the right to roam on Ministry of Defence training land. [HL1637]

Lord Bach

The Ministry of Defence. as one of Britain's largest rural landowners, with training estates and ranges across the country, is making preparations for the introduction of the open access right to roam under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000. MoD officials are in discussion with their counterparts in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and other agencies and organisations on ways in which they can enhance public access whenever this is compatible with public safety, security and the interests of conservation and tenants.

Under the CROW Act the new right of access will apply to all MoD training land which has been mapped as open country or registered common land by the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales, except where the use of such land is regulated by the byelaws under Section 14 of the Military Lands Act 1982 or Section 2 of the Military Lands Act 1900.