§ 13. Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage British Rail to redevelop their surplus land; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeytonThe Board's policy is to develop its land in its own interest and in the interest of the economy in general. It is also well aware of the urgent need for more land for housing.
§ Mr. HowellI am grateful for that reply, but does not my right hon. Friend agree that it is time that the Government stopped pretending that they were not responsible for the actions of nationalised concerns? Would he agree that if all nationalised concerns were urged to release as much land as they could, it would have the effect of stabilising the price of building land?
§ Mr. PeytonIt would make a contribution. But it is the job of the British Railways Board to use its assets to the best advantage of the business it conducts. On a number of occasions I have drawn the attention of the British Railways Board to the need to get rid of surplus land in the same way as other surplus assets, but particularly land, in view of the need for houses. The Board has been very co-operative about this.
§ Mr. CantWould the right hon. Gentleman ask his right hon. Friend to encourage British Railways to participate in the special environmental assistance schemes which are doing so much to transform our cities? In particular, would he draw his right hon. Friend's attention to the terrible state of British Railways' facilities at the entrance to Stoke-on-Trent station?
§ Mr. PeytonI have no doubt that the Chairman of the British Railways Board will be the first to read the hon. Gentleman's observations in the morning.