To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since March 1994, he or his predecessors have intervened during consideration of (a) a development plan and (b) an individual planning application, because the proposals would conflict with the potential to carry freight by water or rail. [82884]

Since March 1994 the Secretary of State has issued 34 directions to local planning authorities for them to change policies or proposals in their development plans; none of these concerned conflict with the potential to carry freight by water/rail. Information is not held centrally on the reasons for call-in of planning applications by the Secretary of State in that period. Such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.