§ 35. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the balance of the National Land Fund; how much has been spent; and on what projects.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe balance at 31st March, 1954, was £56,799,174. Since the inception of the Fund, £906,881 has been spent.
I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the properties in respect of which payment has been made since the date of the last list supplied to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. ChetwyndWhat steps is the Chancellor of the Exchequer taking to further the objects of the Fund?
§ Mr. ButlerI took special powers to pay for chattels in my last Budget. That is a further indication of my interest in using the Fund.
§ Sir H. WilliamsWhere is the Fund kept?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is invested.
§ Mr. GrimondIs interest earned by the capital of the Fund?
§ Mr. ButlerIf the hon. Gentleman will put that question on the Order Paper, I will tell him. Receipts apart from interest amount to about £55,000.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWill the right hon. Gentleman make some of the Fund available for the National Parks Commission, for which purpose it was established?
§ Mr. ButlerI am aware of the reasons for which the Fund was established, and I will certainly use the Fund where I think it proper to use it.
§ Following is the information:
§ Following is the list of properties in respect of which payment has been made from the National Land Fund, since mid-1952. There were 27 earlier cases.
— | Acreage | Transferee |
l. The High Close Estate, Ambleside. | 535 | National Trust. |
2. Stoke Wood and Stoke Hill Farm, near Exeter. | 196 | Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries. |
3. Mount Grace Priory, Northallerton, Yorkshire. | 10 | National Trust. |
4. Highstand Wood and Farm, near Carlisle. | 649 | Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries. |
5. Loch Alsh House, grounds & cottage, Balmacara, Ross-shire. | 15 | National Trust for Scotland. |
6. "The Old Lifeboat House", Port Eynon, Glamorganshire. | — | Youth Hostels Trust of England & Wales. |
7. Pare Le Breos Estate, Glamorgan-shire. | 410 | Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries. |
8. Northchurch Estate (comprising three farms), Hertfordshire. | 371 | National Trust. |
9. Kildermorie Estate, Ross-shire. | 18,600 | Secretary of State for Scotland. |