§ 4. Mr. MacCollasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many claims have been established for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954; the total value of the claims; and the total area represented by the claim holdings.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Duncan Sandys)Compensation under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1954, is based upon claims established under the 1947 Act. These had to be submitted before July, 1949. In respect of England and Wales there were some 415,000 of such established claims representing a total development value of about £350 million. Information about the area to which they relate is, I am afraid, not available.
§ Mr. MacCollI thank the right hon. Gentleman for such information as he has given us, but would it not be desirable to know the area covered? As compensation will not be paid except in respect of these claims, surely it is desirable to know what area of the country is covered by the possibility of compensation?
§ Mr. SandysI do not know what instructions were given to the Central Land Board by the Labour Government but they did not, in fact, ask for particulars of acreage in relation to claims.