asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what legislation property is purchased on the line of a new road, before the vesting order is sought or before the route is cleared by his Department; what sums have been expended on such purchases in the Londonderry council area in the last three years; and what are the sums for the whole of Northern Ireland.

The power to acquire property by voluntary agreement prior to vesting for a proposed new road is contained in section 34(1) of the Roads Act (Northern Ireland) 1948. In addition, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is obliged to purchase property through which it proposes to provide a road in any case where a valid blight notice relating to the property is served on the Department under section 3 of the Planning and Land Compensation Act (Northern Ireland) 1971.Expenditure on all such purchases in the Londonderry council area in the three years 1975–76 to 1977–78 was about £541,000; the corresponding figure for Northern Ireland as a whole was about £3,175,260.