§ 24. Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the machinery for tracing the ownership of derelict coal spoilheaps.
§ Mr. Graham PageI am not aware of any special difficulties in tracing ownership.
§ Mr. ClarkDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are difficulties because, in many cases, when a coal spoil-heap becomes derelict at the end of its useful life the ownership often reverts to the previous owner, the consequence being, certainly in parts of Lancashire, that half the time in planning for the removal or reclamation of a spoilheap is spent in trying to trace who actually owns the land?
§ Mr. PageIt is true that the records handed over to the National Coal Board do not always contain sufficient detail of the parties concerned. As regards delay in completing negotiations, this matter was considered by the Central Group for Derelict Land Reclamation, which found that the delays were due mainly to a reluctance to release land which had valuable materials in it. It was 459 considered that negotiation between the parties was the best solution. Where negotiations fail, compulsory powers are available to the local authority to acquire derelict land by compulsion.