HC Deb 24 March 1953 vol 513 cc636-7
14. Mr. Crouch

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the estimated number of vacant housing sites in England and Wales at present available as the result of demolition orders.

Mr. H. Macmillan

I regret that the information available is not sufficient to enable a reliable estimate to be made.

Mr. Crouch

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in many cases cottages have been pulled down and no use has been made of the vacant ground, which in some cases amounts to as much as half an acre? While this ground is lying idle, councils have taken new land instead of making use of the existing sites.

30. Mr. Gower

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will circularise local authorities, encouraging them to build more houses on sites of demolished properties and also to resume the clearance of such sites, in order to minimise the loss of good agricultural land.

Mr. H. Macmillan

I have already urged local authorities to make use of every practicable alternative to agricultural land, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the circular in question.

Mr. Gower

Does the Minister agree that although the cost of building must be increased by the expense of clearance, the ultimate cost to the country will be far greater if the loss of productive agricultural land necessitates larger imports of food?

Mr. Macmillan

All these considerations are very relevant.

Mr. Snow

Is the Minister satisfied that there is adequate collaboration between his officials and the Land Commissioners of the Ministry of Agriculture, and would he, in this connection, refer to a recent Adjournment debate on the subject, which clearly demonstrated that this collaboration does not always exist, with a resultant loss of agricultural land?

Mr. Macmillan

I think that the answer to the question whether a Minister is satisfied or not probably is that no Minister ought ever to be satisfied. We do our best, and I will look into the matter again, but I notice that my officials and Ministry of Agriculture officials are in very close touch. I also notice that a very large number of cases are submitted to me to be decided between the Minister of Agriculture and myself.