Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 12 October (HL2847), what area of inalienable land vested in the National Trust following a national appeal for public subscriptions in 1927 would need to be acquired for constructing and operating the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down dual carriageway and tunnel across the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site; and what would be (1) the terms, and (2) the costs of such acquisition.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Within the World Heritage Site, there is 41.62 hectares of inalienable land owned by the National Trust that is being acquired; 1.75 hectares subject to outright acquisition and 39.87 hectares subject to subsoil rights acquisition for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme. The terms of the acquisition of inalienable National Trust land are the same as for all land interests and rights that are subject to Compulsory Acquisition.
If granted, the Development Consent Order (DCO) gives National Highways Compulsory Acquisition powers to purchase land that is required to build and maintain the scheme, which includes National Trust land declared as inalienable. The National Trust land will be acquired through the General Vesting Declaration (GVD) process, which would vest the required land or rights to National Highways, including subsoil rights to construct and maintain the Tunnel. Where National Highways are taking subsoil rights only, the amenity of the surface land above will remain, including the surface lands inalienability. This applies to 39.87 hectares.
Those rights and interests in land that are extinguished or changed through the above process, such as those belonging to The National Trust, would enable a right to compensation. This compensation would be negotiated and paid following the making of the GVD. A key principle of compensation is that of “equivalence”, meaning that a claimant should be placed in no better or worse position, financially, after the acquisition than they were before the acquisition. Therefore, until a time in which the land has vested through the GVD process and a claim received, it would be inappropriate to prejudice a live negotiation through speculating on potential costs.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hectares of National Trust land within the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage site would need to be (1) acquired, and (2) compulsorily purchased, to enable the construction and operation of the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down dual carriageway and tunnel, should planning consent be granted by the Secretary of State; what proportion of the land to be acquired has been declared inalienable; and what would be the terms of any (a) acquisition, or (b) compulsory purchase.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The total area of ground that would need to be excavated for the construction of the A303 dual carriageway and Tunnel within the World Heritage site is approximately 8.8 hectares.
The area of Crown land identified within the World Heritage Site to be permanently acquired to enable the construction and operation of the A303 dual carriageway and tunnel is approximately 4,220 square metres. This is the land beneath the existing A303, which is unregistered and (in accordance with the ad medium filum rule) ownership has been attributed to the adjacent parties to the halfway point of the road. The adjacent landowner on the north side of the road is the land parcel that was gifted to the nation by Sir Cecil Chubb.
During inquiries to identify the legal entities with an interest in this land, it was identified that the land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. As such the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is assumed to hold an interest in the subsoil beneath the A303 up to its half width by virtue of the ad medium filum rule. This is considered to be Crown land. No land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is included within the land to be acquired for the Development Consent Order.
Within the World Heritage Site, there is approximately 52.83 hectares of land owned by The National Trust that would need to be acquired or compulsory purchased. Of this 6.3 hectares are subject to outright acquisition, and 46.53 hectares are subject to acquisition at subsoil level for the construction of the bored tunnel with rights above. Of this land, 41.62 hectares has been declared as inalienable, 1.75 hectares subject to outright acquisition, and 39.87 hectares subject to subsoil acquisition.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what area of Crown land would need to be (1) acquired, and (2) compulsorily purchased, within the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage site to enable the construction and operation of the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down dual carriageway and tunnel, should planning consent be granted by the Secretary of State; what proportion of the land to be acquired was gifted to the nation by Sir Cecil Chubb; and what would be the terms of any (a) acquisition, or (b) compulsory purchase.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The total area of ground that would need to be excavated for the construction of the A303 dual carriageway and Tunnel within the World Heritage site is approximately 8.8 hectares.
The area of Crown land identified within the World Heritage Site to be permanently acquired to enable the construction and operation of the A303 dual carriageway and tunnel is approximately 4,220 square metres. This is the land beneath the existing A303, which is unregistered and (in accordance with the ad medium filum rule) ownership has been attributed to the adjacent parties to the halfway point of the road. The adjacent landowner on the north side of the road is the land parcel that was gifted to the nation by Sir Cecil Chubb.
During inquiries to identify the legal entities with an interest in this land, it was identified that the land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. As such the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is assumed to hold an interest in the subsoil beneath the A303 up to its half width by virtue of the ad medium filum rule. This is considered to be Crown land. No land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is included within the land to be acquired for the Development Consent Order.
Within the World Heritage Site, there is approximately 52.83 hectares of land owned by The National Trust that would need to be acquired or compulsory purchased. Of this 6.3 hectares are subject to outright acquisition, and 46.53 hectares are subject to acquisition at subsoil level for the construction of the bored tunnel with rights above. Of this land, 41.62 hectares has been declared as inalienable, 1.75 hectares subject to outright acquisition, and 39.87 hectares subject to subsoil acquisition.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what area of ground would need be excavated within the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage site for the construction of the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down dual carriageway and tunnel, should planning consent be granted by the Secretary of State.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The total area of ground that would need to be excavated for the construction of the A303 dual carriageway and Tunnel within the World Heritage site is approximately 8.8 hectares.
The area of Crown land identified within the World Heritage Site to be permanently acquired to enable the construction and operation of the A303 dual carriageway and tunnel is approximately 4,220 square metres. This is the land beneath the existing A303, which is unregistered and (in accordance with the ad medium filum rule) ownership has been attributed to the adjacent parties to the halfway point of the road. The adjacent landowner on the north side of the road is the land parcel that was gifted to the nation by Sir Cecil Chubb.
During inquiries to identify the legal entities with an interest in this land, it was identified that the land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. As such the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is assumed to hold an interest in the subsoil beneath the A303 up to its half width by virtue of the ad medium filum rule. This is considered to be Crown land. No land gifted by Sir Cecil Chubb is included within the land to be acquired for the Development Consent Order.
Within the World Heritage Site, there is approximately 52.83 hectares of land owned by The National Trust that would need to be acquired or compulsory purchased. Of this 6.3 hectares are subject to outright acquisition, and 46.53 hectares are subject to acquisition at subsoil level for the construction of the bored tunnel with rights above. Of this land, 41.62 hectares has been declared as inalienable, 1.75 hectares subject to outright acquisition, and 39.87 hectares subject to subsoil acquisition.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to phase out the sale of motorbikes with internal combustion engines.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has no current plans to phase out the sale of internal combustion motorcycles. We are supporting those riders wanting to switch to the growing numbers of zero emission two wheelers and benefit from the lower running costs with a grant of 20% off the up-front purchase price of eligible models, up to a maximum of £1,500.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans are in place for Highways England to share real time data from its National Air Quality Monitoring Network; and when they estimate those data will be publicly available.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Highways England has no plans in place to make real-time air quality monitoring data from its network publicly available. When Highways England developed its network, it worked with both Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency to explore opportunities to integrate its air quality monitoring network with DEFRA’s online real-time monitoring. Health and safety issues associated with the placing of air quality monitoring stations next to strategic roads meant they were not consistent with the requirements of DEFRA’s system and consequently it was not possible to integrate the Highways England monitoring in to their online reporting.
Highways England produces annual reports of all data collected by its monitoring stations, which are available on request.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether local authorities are permitted to use their allocations from the emergency active travel fund to pay for (1) adult cycle training, and (2) Bikeability Level 3 training for secondary school children.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Local Authority allocations from the emergency active travel fund are intended to be spent principally on infrastructure measures, not on cycle training. Funding for cycle training has been made available through the Bikeability programme. We are currently considering expanding the range of training options that can be funded through Bikeability, including adult and family training.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish further information about the creation of a national cycling and walking commissioner and inspectorate, first announced on 9 May.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 9 May the Government announced a £2 billion package of funding for active travel over the next 5 years. In the summer, the Government will say more about its plans to transform walking and cycling, including plans for a cycling and walking commissioner for England and inspectorate.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review staff resources dedicated to active travel within the Department for Transport to manage the additional funding for active travel announced in May.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to delivering the aims and ambitions set out in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which was published in April 2017. The Department for Transport has increased the number of staff working to deliver recent commitments on cycling and walking and will keep this under review.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the progress of HS2 is regularly reported to Parliament in particular with regard to (1) the expenditure, and (2) the estimated total cost, of that project.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
A full-time dedicated HS2 minister has now been appointed, who will provide twice-yearly updates to Parliament on progress, including data on expenditure and estimated costs, allowing proper scrutiny of the project to take place.