Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his speech to the Royal Economic Society on 14 January 2015, what steps his Department will take to engage with (a) the Country Landowners Association and (b) other rural organisations on the reforms to compulsory purchase proposed in that speech.

I thank the Honourable Member for Chesham and Amersham for tabling this question.

In his speech to the Royal Economic Society last month, the Chancellor set out the Government’s commitment to reforming the Compulsory Purchase Regime and making it clearer, faster and fairer for both affected landowners and developers alike.

At Budget, the department for Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury will jointly consult as a way to make compensation, interest payments and the Compulsory Purchase process fairer, more flexible and to encourage development. As part of this consultation we will work with rural organisations such as the Country Landowners Association.