§ 19. Mr. Duffyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on progress to restore the 9,000 acres in the Yorkshire and Humberside region deemed by local authorities to require treatment for dereliction.
§ Mr. Graham PageLocal authorities in this region have made a good start since the introduction of the present Government grants in 1970, and if the hon. Member would like to have the details of what has been done I should be pleased to send them to him. This work is continuing, and I see no reason why local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humberside region should not achieve our objective of clearing the hard core dereliction by the end of this decade.
§ Mr. DuffyI thank the Minister for that reply, but will he consider greater involvement on the part of the community industry experimental scheme in the dere- 416 liction problem? Is he aware that the currently successful Community Industry Experiment in the Hemsworth and Mexborough area is embarking on useful clearance work and reconstruction tasks, and it has been well received by the public locally and supported by the local authority? Is not this approach capable of wide application throughout the region, to support the good work which is now going ahead?
§ Mr. PageYes, Sir; we are anxious to encourage that sort of assistance in this work. What I do not wish to encourage too much is a disregard of the real clearance of derelict land in favour of the Operation Eyesore efforts although these are very good and achieving great success. We want the clearance of the derelict land as well as the Eyesore operations.