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Electricity Pylons (Southerham)

: I congratulate the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on securing the debate, which is on an issue of great concern and interest to him. I am, of course, aware of the environmental sensitivities surrounding that area near Lewes, which lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty, scheduled to become part of the South Downs national park. Indeed, the preparation work on the A27 Southerham to Beddingham scheme, which he has welcomed, has been undertaken with regard to national park designation, although the final decision has yet to be taken. The south coast multi-modal study recommended in 2002 that the section of the A27 from Southerham to Beddingham, between Lewes and Polegate, should be a dual carriageway. However, Ministers considered that the environmental effect that that would have on the landscape was too severe and, in 2004, decided that the important safety scheme to remove a high-risk level crossing should be scaled down to a single carriageway, with two lanes westbound and a single lane eastbound. We have now been able to take forward a scheme through the draft orders stage, to a public inquiry. It has a reduced environmental impact on the area of outstanding natural beauty while still providing the safety benefits. Environmental considerations have been at the forefront of our thinking on that scheme and that includes the issue of the pylon carrying the electricity supply cables at Southerham. The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that we have to consider costs. The costs we have heard about today vary between £800,000 and £1 million. The costs attached to diverting the 132 kV overhead supply carried to the pylon are still sizeable, and high in relation to the £18.3 million cost of the A27 scheme. There are also a number of competing cost pressures on the Highways Agency's targeted programme of improvements. The improvements proposed to the A27 do not affect the existing cable route, so the agency does not need to divert the supply, and it does not need to move the pylon that carries it. I am not in a position to comment further on whether the diversion of the cables underground should be undertaken. The public inquiry into the A27 improvement proposals finished in early November last year. Southerham residents appeared at the inquiry, gave evidence to the inspector on the issue and asked him to recommend that the diversion underground should be provided. The hon. Gentleman asked about the timetable. We should receive the inspector's report before the end of February, and we anticipate the decision of the Secretary of State some time during the spring. I cannot confirm the absolute time scale, but that is roughly what is envisaged.