Question
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 26 May (WA 25) on the Crossrail Bill: (a) what other "additional measures" are being taken in addition to those set out in their answer; (b) what are the decisions referred to in paragraph (iii) of the Answer; and (c) what parts of the Crossrail project and documentation they consider to be included in the principle of the Bill to be approved on Second Reading.
Answer
The additional measures taken include: issuing and widely publicising the availability of the Crossrail environmental statement (ES) through press notices and on both the Department for Transport and Cross London Rail Link (CLRL) websites. Newspaper notices have also been issued alerting people to the publication of the supplementary ES (SES) published on 26 May, and inviting comments on the SES by 8 July. CLRL also issued a newsletter to some 8,500 consultees announcing the extension of the consultation period on the main ES and the consultation on the SES. The EIA Directive requires for projects that are likely to have significant effects upon the environment that, "when a decision to grant or refuse consent has been taken the body taking the decision must make available . . . the main reasons and considerations on which the decision is based, and a description, where necessary, of the main mitigation measures". This will be done during the passage of the Bill. The convention applicable to the House of Commons is that Second Reading establishes the principle of the Bill, and that principle is not considered by the Select Committee. However, since the Select Committee determines what it will treat as the principle of the Bill (and therefore beyond its remit to consider), it is not possible to be definitive at this stage on what this will be. The House of Lords Select Committee will reach its own decisions on what aspects it will not consider.