§ 50. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will set up an official inquiry into the causes of the damage to Putney Heath.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)Not if the right hon. Member is referring to the deposit of soil from road improvements. The Greater London Council can by their General Powers Act, 1966, deposit soil on the common in places agreed by the 1228 Conservators. The council must afterwards grass the land and replace any buried trees.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterDid the hon. Gentleman study the recent correspondence in The Times? Does his Answer imply that he is quite detached as regards the serious damage done to this lovely heath by the deposits there of masses of slag, gravel and rubble over certain parts of it, with permanent damage to some of the flora?
§ Mr. MacCollWork is being carried out under powers authorised by Parliament, and the Conservators and the Greater London Council are in discussion with one another about how to maintain the amenities.