Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, when the Ministry of Defence wish to close and dispose of a site and inform the original landowners or their successors in title that Crichel Down Rules will not apply, they are under a duty to provide a detailed explanation to the former landowners as to why they believe such Rules do not apply.

The Crichel Down Rules (CDR) are applied to any land that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) originally acquired or may have acquired through compulsory purchase or threat of compulsory purchase. Where it is decided that the CDR do not apply to a disposal site, there is no obligation on the MOD to notify the former owner(s) of this decision. Where the CDR apply to a disposal site, but that site falls within any of the exceptions in the CDR from the obligation to offer back, the former owner(s) will be notified of this decision and the relevant exception (s) being relied upon. There is no duty imposed by the CDR to provide former owners with a detailed explanation of their applicability or the exceptions being relied upon.