HC Deb 11 February 1958 vol 582 cc196-8
20. Mrs. Castle

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs in how many cases other than that concerning Thrift Street, North Shields, he has given advice to a local authority to enable them to sell their property at a price lower than the current market price.

Mr. H. Brooke

The advice which I gave to the Tynemouth Council was designed to enable the Council to sell the land back to the original owner at its current market value unaffected by any planning permission, that being what they wished to do. Local authorities usually sell land at its current market value; but there are some cases in which it has been agreed, for special reasons, that they may sell at a lower price. I have no record of the number of cases in which this has been done.

Mrs. Castle

Is it not a fact that the Minister admitted to me in a Written Reply to my Question on 17th December last that: The Housing Acts, however, require a local authority, when selling land bought for housing which they no longer need, to sell 'at the best price …that can reasonably be obtained'; "—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th December, 1957; Vol. 580. c. 45] Is not this exactly a case where this should be applied, because this was a case of land bought for housing but no longer needed for that purpose in which the Minister gave his advice to the local authority to help them to evade selling it at the best possible price they could get?

Mr. Brooke

No, Sir. The local authority bought this land for housing and then enhanced its value by approving its use for industry. It then asked me whether it could sell it back to the original owner at its housing value. I said that it could not do that, because the law prevented it doing it. I further told the authority that if it thought fit to revoke the planning permission, it would then be able to carry out its intention, but it was for the authority to decide whether it wished to follow that advice or not.

Dame Irene Ward

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Tynemouth Council is very satisfied with the position? Will my right hon. Friend also point out to the hon. Lady opposite that it is a very good thing to have a moderate council in operation which tries to balance all its arrangements satisfactorily to all sections of the community?

Mr. Brooke

I am much obliged to my hon. Friend. I was simply trying to do my best, and so, I am sure, was the Tynemouth Council.

Mr. Mitchison

Was not the effect of all this that the council sold back this land at a lower price than the best price it could have obtained if it had not followed the advice given by the Minister?

Mr. Nabarro

On a point of order. In the interests of hon. Members who take the trouble to put down Questions on the Order Paper, may I ask if it is necessary for the hon. and learned Member for Kettering (Mr. Mitchison) to ask a supplementary question on every Question?

Mr. Speaker

That is not a point of order.

21. Mrs. Castle

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in what circumstances under his regulations a local government auditor is authorised to approve the disposal by a local authority of its property to specified individuals at less than its market value.

Mr. H. Brooke

The district auditor does not approve the terms on which local authorities dispose of property.

Mrs. Castle

Will the Minister no answer the question put by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Mitchison), in which an attempt was made to save the right hon. Gentleman by the intervention of the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro)? Is it not a fact that in this case the land was, de-zoned and has been sold back at less than the best price that was available, and, therefore, the law has been broken?

Mr. Brooke

I will certainly answer the questions asked by the hon. and learned Gentleman and the hon. Lade. The land has not been resold.

Mrs. Castle

On a point of order. I am afraid that the Minister did not hear me correctly—

Mr. Speaker

Whether the Minister heard or not is not a point of order.