§ 9. Mr. H. Boardmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now introduce legislation to eliminate middle men from transactions concerning land with development prospects.
§ Mr. Graham PageNo, Sir.
§ Mr. BoardmanHas the Minister's attention been drawn to last Friday's edition of The Guardianwhich reported that a piece of land in Manchester was sold for £36,000, resold for £64,000, then put up for auction and withdrawn at £98,000, and then sold for over £100,000, all within a period of seven months? Is not the Minister aware that people who have no direct interest in land prices are becoming angered at the Government's refusal to stop this criminal exploitation of land scarcity?
§ Mr. PageI do not have the facts of the case which the hon. Gentleman mentions. But it is true that often the middle man, as the hon. Gentleman calls him, plays a useful purpose in the assembling of land for development.
§ Mr. Denis HowellIs it not becoming increasingly clear day by day that the Government's doctrinaire decision to abolish the Land Commission has been a disaster? However, as that happened, and in view of the facts outlined by my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Mr. H. Boardman), is it not increasingly clear with every day that passes that the only way to control this problem is to have 1801 complete public ownership of all development land?
§ Mr. PageI do not think that the public would appreciate a return to the Land Commission. I notice that the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Stechford (Mr. RoyJenkins) has announced the Opposition's policy in this respect in the last few days, saying that
the cornerstone of our policy must be acquisition rather than taxation.The cornerstone of the Government's policy is to get the houses built.