Commons Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 61:"Page 7, line 39, after ““land”” insert ““that is not less in area than the release land””" The noble Duke said: In Amendment No. 61 we are talking about applications relating to land of over 200 square metres, as stipulated in the Bill. They must be included. We seek clarification on this. Do the Government envisage that regulations will seek parity in the size of the areas to be exchanged? Will any form of value judgment be involved, such that land of greater utility may be substituted even though it is smaller in area? I am thinking particularly of the rights of way improvement plans, under which some authorities will attempt to persuade landowners to dedicate certain land—for example, land on the inside of a hedge. Such a donation might be balanced by an opportunity to deregister another footpath or some common land elsewhere. I beg to move.