To ask the Minister of the Environment, in relation to the High Hedges consultation document, what fees may be levied against a complainant by a council when a complaint about an offending hedge is received; and would such fees be refunded if the council decides to uphold the complaint.

Under the draft legislation councils have discretionary powers to levy fees for complaints. Councils may decide to refund all or part of a fee in certain circumstances, for example where a complainant is financially disadvantaged. However it is not anticipated that councils will as a rule refund fees to complainants where a complaint has resulted in a remedial notice being issued and the height of a hedge reduced to a reasonable height.