§ 23. Mr. Willisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra financial burden he estimates will he borne in the current financial year by local authorities in Scotland, as the result of the requirement to pay market value instead of existing use value for land compulsorily acquired.
§ Mr. MaclayA precise estimate is impracticable, but I have no reason to think that additional capital expenditure will exceed the figure of £300,000 which I mentioned when the Town and Country Planning Bill was before Parliament.
§ Mr. WillisIs the £300,000 the figure for this year? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this is rather a big sum to pay for the follies of Tory legislation?
§ Mr. MaclayI said that a precise estimate requested for this year is impracticable and the £300,000 is an estimate of the capital expenditure. What the hon. Gentleman has in mind, I think, is the interest payments that will arise.
§ 24. Mr. Willisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to prevent the exploitation of local authorities in Scotland by land speculators.
§ Mr. MaclayI have no evidence to suggest that local authorities in Scotland are being exploited in this way.
§ Mr. WillisIn view of the present trends regarding land speculation, will the right hon. Gentleman keep this very much in mind and take immediate action, whenever he has any evidence, to prevent local authorities from being exploited?
§ Mr. MaclayI shall be interested to hear of any particular case where the local authorities may have been affected in the way in which the hon. Gentleman suggests.
§ Mr. LiptonWill the Secretary of State advise the Minister of Housing and Local Government how to avoid this exploitation, which is apparently not going on in Scotland but which is only too prevalent in England?
§ Mr. MaclayI am always prepared to give any help that I can to my colleagues in the Government, but I have enough troubles on my hands regarding Scotland at the moment.