Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 22 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 24 November 2005. It was answered by Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour) on Tuesday, 29 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the regulations covering the review of maps of open country and registered commons land produced under section 1 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Answer: Section 10 of the Countryside and Right of Way Act 2000 requires the Countryside Agency to review the conclusive maps of open country and registered common land not more than 10 years after the time that each map was first issued and not less frequently than every 10 years thereafter. Before making any regulations covering the review of conclusive maps we need to consider how the review process ought to work. Both Defra and the Countryside Agency are currently undertaking lessons learned exercises and the outcome of these will help inform our decisions on the review process. We aim to undertake consultation on our proposals for the review of conclusive maps during the course of next year.

Secondary information