§ 5. Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that the official total of dereliction coincides with the actual amount of dereliction in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Graham PageNot entirely, and for that reason a new extended survey of derelict and despoiled land in England is to be undertaken next April. Dereliction in Scotland and Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
§ Mr. ClarkWhile I am pleased to hear that there is to be an extended survey, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to tell us when he intends to publish the figures of the present survey? In view of the very urgent problems in our older industrial areas, will he assure us that land reclamation will not be held up by phase 3 of the Government's policy?
§ Mr. PageWe shall publish the figures of the present survey as soon as possible. However, I am relying to a great extent on the new survey, which will start with the new local authorities on 1st April 1974. This time it will identify spoil heaps and excavations which are still in active use and also abandoned workings which are subject to town planning restoration.
§ Mr. CormackIs my right hon. Friend satisfied that enough is being done to inquire into how much derelict land can be released for building? In our industrial areas especially there is a great deal 180 of despoiled land which is an eyesore which could be readily made available for building land and which is not capable of reclamation for agricultural use.
§ Mr. PageYes. The trouble frequently is subsidence and the restoration of land for building purposes. But in many cases, bearing in mind that we have had more than 5,000 acres reclaimed in the past year, great progress is being made and much of the land can be used for building.