Sites (Development) (Hansard, 15 March 1961)

§ 30. Mr. R. Allan
asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to the British Transport Commission to give all facilities to local authorities desiring to build office and housing accommodation over their goods yards, sidings and other properties.

Mr. J. T. Price
On a point of order. I raised with you yesterday, Mr. Speaker, a point of order about a Question which was couched in terms identical with those of this one, except that that was with particular reference to London. You promised me that you would give your view on that point.

§ Mr. Speaker
I have written to the hon. Member about the question he raised with me yesterday. This, manifestly, on the face of it, is a different Question, governed by a different principle.

§ Mr. Marples
The answer to the Question is, No, Sir. The British Transport Commission is willing, where railway operations permit, to discuss the 1393 leasing of sites to local authorities or other developers, for building purposes.

§ Mr. Allan
While accepting that, may I ask whether my right hon. Friend will make sure that at local levels applications are not turned down out of hand but are referred to such higher levels as may be in contact with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government, as I was told yesterday in answer to a Question?

§ Mr. Marples
If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will write to the chairman of the British Transport Commission. I have no doubt that the Commission will look at the case.

Mr. J. T. Price
But will the right hon. Gentleman resist all attempts to use the Order Paper and the procedures of the House to put pressure on the British Transport Commission to unload valuable development land for the benefit of speculators, because many of us on this side of the House think that that is the sort of racket that is developing?

§ Mr. Marples
Any hon. Members opposite who think that that sort of thing is happening are entirely mistaken.

§ Mr. John Hall
Is my right hon. Friend aware that many worth-while schemes for building over goods sidings in London and elsewhere have come to nought because the British Transport Commission cannot make up its mind whether or not it wants to use the land? If the Commission cannot use these facilities usefully and economically, should it not make them available, for a financial consideration, to those who can?

§ Mr. Marples
My hon. Friend will find that when the reorganisation envisaged in the White Paper and accepted by this Parliament is completed, that sort of consideration will be taken into account.

§ Mr. Strauss
Has not the trouble been that the Government have, so far, denied the Commission the right to develop property itself, and that the Commission has been properly chary and unwilling to let valuable land to a private speculator who would make large sums out of it which should accrue to the Commission?

§ Mr. Marples
The right hon. Gentleman is not quite accurate. The restrictions on property were placed on the Commission by the Act passed by the party opposite. We are the Government who are removing those restrictions.