HC Deb 19 June 1972 vol 839 c4
4. Mr. John

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of land in the ownership or control of nationalised industries in Wales which is categorised as derelict land.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

This information is not available and could not be obtained without the expenditure of an excessive amount of staff time.

Mr. John

Would the Minister of State acknowledge that the amount of land which is categorised as derelict is primarily in the hands of those nationalised industries such as the railways and coal which played a great part in Wales' industrial past? Is it not time that the Government considered granting sums of money to such nationalised industries to enable them to remedy the dereliction caused historically by their long tenure in South Wales?

Mr. Gibson-Watt

I cannot answer the second question in the hon. Gentleman's supplementary because it hardly arises under the original Question. I agree with the first part of his remarks. Undoubtedly a good deal of derelict land in South Wales is in the possession of the nationalised industries. We have not the figures, for the reasons I have given.