HC Deb 10 May 1965 vol 712 cc17-9
25. Mr. Costain

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what is the acreage of farming land which he estimates will be required annually in the next three years for industrial and domestic building and other non-agricultural use.

Mr. Skeffington

I understand that the annual change of land in England and Wales from agriculture to all other purposes as shown in the Agricultural Census returns has averaged over 57,000 acres in the five years 1959–60 to 1963–64. Having regard to current policies, I see no reason to expect any marked change in this rate over the next three years.

Mr. Costain

What steps is the Minister taking to see that the best agricultural land is not used for building purposes, and that the least productive land is used for building purposes?

Mr. Skeffington

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there are already procedures for examining the respective merits of different uses for development but, in addition to that, the regional administrative machinery, whereby, in time, long-term designation of land use will be possible, will go a long way to preventing many of the conflicts that have sometimes arisen in the past.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

As the hon. Gentleman's right hon. Friend is not responsible for planning decisions, will the Parliamentary Secretary tell me how the Minister, in fact, carries out this policy?

Mr. Skeffington

I am very surprised that the right hon. Gentleman does not seem to have understood the regional setup in the Ministry, and the fact that my right hon. Friend has representatives upon the regional bodies which will be discharging this function of long-term land designation.

Mr. Evelyn King

Is the Minister aware that, apart from agricultural land, there are large areas of rural land covered by scrub and silver birch, and that owing to the negative attitude of many rural planning authorities, this land is, in fact, sterilised.

Mr. Skeffington

This may well be the case. I think that the sort of machinery I have outlined will help to solve some of these problems, and get the best use of land for the respective purposes we have in mind.

Mr. George Y. Mackie

Will the Minister consider consulting his right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture to see that he understands that land that is being covered with buildings in the South might well be replaced by reasonable grants for the reclamation of land in the Highlands and elsewhere?

Mr. Skeffington

I am quite sure that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture will take note of the hon. Gentleman's comment.

Mr. Corfield

Was the figure given by the hon. Gentleman an England and Wales figure or a United Kingdom figure?

Mr. Skeffington

It was an England and Wales figure.