§ 7. Mr. Graham Pageasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how much land has been acquired by the Land Commission to date.
§ Mr. MacDermot4.3 acres have vested in the Commission; 14 acres are the subject of a confirmed compulsory purchase order; 450 acres are the subject of draft Compulsory Purchase Orders, and 190 acres at Hornchurch Airfield are being acquired from the Ministry of Defence. Contracts are likely to be exchange, or draft Compulsory Purchase Orders published for a further 2,000 acres within the next two months.
§ Mr. PageHas the hon. and learned Gentleman any evidence which would lead him to believe that this could not have been undertaken by the ordinary compulsory purchase procedure of local authorities and others who have that right? Has the Land Commission carried out the other half of its duty in selling any of that land for development?
§ Mr. MacDermotThe Commission cannot resell until the land is vested in it, and the figures which I gave show the position there. As to whether this could have been achieved without the Land Commission, the Hornchurch Airfield example is admirable. This is surplus land which is now required for gravel extraction but which will later be needed for housing and schools. Without the intervention of the Commission, it would have been sold to private mineral operators who would later have realised the development value as an uncovenanted bonus. It will now remain in public hands, its benefit will accrue to the Exchequer and it will be possible to bring the land forward for development in a way which is suitable both for the local authority and for private developers.
Mr. Alan Lee WilliamsCan my hon. and learned Friend explain why the Commission is buying the land from the Ministry of Defence? It is already publicly owned, so why is the Land Commission involved?
§ Mr. MacDermotThis, like other land which is surplus to requirements of the Ministry of Defence, has to be sold by them. There is no existing public authority other than the Land Commission which is in a position to purchase it in the present circumstances, for the reasons which I have explained.
§ Mr. CleggCan the hon. and learned Gentleman tell us whether any of the land acquired by the Commission will be sold as Crownhold?
§ Mr. MacDermotThat depends on whether the Commission receives requests for disposals on Crownhold terms.
§ Mr. John FraserHas my hon. and learned Friend seen the statement of Sir Henry Wells about the failure of local authorities to zone land in time to enable it to be released for housing development? What is he doing about that?
§ Mr. MacDermotYes, I explained to the House at our last Question Time that this was a matter on which the Commission was concentrating. This is, probably, the greatest single factor affecting land prices, and our Ministry is engaged, with the Land Commission, in discussions with local authorities in the pressure areas.