§ 48. Mr. CAMPBELLasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the importance of securing for the nation playing fields throughout Great Britain, he can take any steps to encourage local authorities to use their powers to acquire, lay out, and maintain land for the purposes of games and recreation?
§ Sir H. BARNSTONMy right hon. Friend can only repeat what has already been said in reply to similar questions. He is willing to consider sympathetically applications for sanction to loans for playing fields from local authorities, and a good deal has in fact been expended in recent years in the acquisition and laying out of land, though heavy rates and the present need for economy have prevented local authorities in some instances from making full use of their powers. My right hon. Friend has also made a practice of urging local authorities to reserve land for open spaces and playing fields in their town planning schemes.
§ 58. Mr. CAMPBELLasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the importance of securing for the school children playing-fields throughout Great Britain, he can take any steps to encourage local education authorities to secure playing-fields for as many elementary and secondary schools as possible?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Duchess of Atholl)My right hon. Friend thinks that local authorities are already fully alive to the importance of securing playing-fields for children attending both elementary and secondary schools. In the last two and a half years 343 proposals for the provision of playing-fields, or school sites including playing-fields, have been approved by my Department, and a number of similar proposals are now under consideration.
§ Colonel DAYHave any playing-fields been approved, especially for Southwark and South London?
§ Mr. TAYLORHow many of these are for elementary and how many for secondary schools?
§ 60. Mr. CAMPBELLasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the importance of securing for the nation playing-fields throughout Great Britain, he will take steps to encourage all local authorities in Scotland to use their powers to acquire, lay out, and maintain land for the purposes of games and recreation?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Sir John Gilmour)So far as I am aware, the local authorities in Scotland are already alive to the desirability of acquiring land for the purpose of games and recreation. I am in sympathy with any action they may take for this purpose and would be glad to do anything to encourage them, but the exercise of their statutory powers is a matter in the discretion of the local authorities.