§ 4. Mr. If or Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total value of grants paid to local authorities in Wales for the clearance of derelict land in each year since the inception of the Derelict Land Unit; and what is the estimate for 1970.
§ Mr. George Thomas£101,775 in 1967; £416,931 in 1968; £871,776 in 3 1969; and a roughly similar figure in 1970. In addition, I expect to make payments of more than £200,000 to the National Coal Board towards the cost of removing the tips at Aberfan.
§ Mr. DaviesMy right hon. Friend's reply, indicating the progress made by this excellent unit, reflects great credit on the Welsh Office. In view of the considerable amount of derelict land still awaiting clearance in development districts which are hungry for land for industrial development, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will consider extending the staff of the unit to help to expedite the work?
§ Mr. ThomasI deeply appreciate the tribute paid by my hon. Friend. More than 1,640 derelict areas have been treated since the Derelict Land Unit began operating three years ago. We have an expanding programme. I will certainly look into my hon. Friend's proposal, but we are reluctant to increase the Civil Service more than we can help.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI think that both sides of the House will rejoice at the success of the Derelict Land Unit which, incidentally, was about the only good thing to come out of the devastating Aberfan disaster. Will the Secretary of State tell us how many staff are employed in the unit at present?
§ Mr. ThomasThe number is singularly small. It is certainly less than six. I am speaking off the cuff, but I think that there are about four. They have had remarkable success in their endeavours.