§ 1. Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of the property and/or land sold in Wales by his Department to private persons or groups of persons, giving the price obtained in each case, and, where land sales are concerned. the acreage sold, in each year between January, 1961 and January, 1972, inclusive.
§ The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Peter Thomas)Information on sales of property and land is not assembled and it would be disproportionately costly to provide a list of transactions. It is not in any event Government practice to reveal the price involved in transactions of this nature.
§ Mr. McBrideIs not that a scandalous answer? Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman realise that land is of prime interest in keeping down house prices? Should he not be aware that it is the duty of the Welsh Office to assist in any way in this direction? Is he aware that in South Wales land values are soaring astronomically and that his answer, denying assistance to local authorities in the provision of extra lard, will be received with great dismay?
§ Mr. ThomasThe amount of land which the Welsh Office has to sell is not very great. It would be a small amount of land which would be surplus to requirements, mainly on the roads. I do not normally sell surplus land to private persons or groups of persons until other Government Departments and local authorities have been given the option to acquire it.