HC Deb 12 July 1978 vol 953 cc1503-5
17. Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfield with the programme for land reclamation in Birmingham.

Mr. Freeson

Since the order on 8th June specifying the Birmingham inner city area as a derelict land clearance area, the Department has asked Birmingham city and West Midlands county councils to extend their programme of sites eligible for grant. So far 18 schemes have been approved this financial year, costing £63,000.

Mr. Rooker

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer, but does he accept that, in view of the total lack of water-based recreational activities in the north Birmingham area, the Department ought to give speedy consideration to any proposals from the West Midlands county council's planning department to convert the disused quarry at Queslett—150 acres in my constituency—for recreational purposes rather than allow it to be used as a dump for 3 million cubic yards of rubbish, and thereby use it to the public advantage?

Mr. Freeson

I well understand my hon. Friend's concern about this, and certainly the idea of the recreational facilities and plans to which he has referred sounds attractive. However, the future use of this site as part of the reclamation scheme is, in the first instance, a matter for the local authorities concerned, and we have not yet had any proposals submited to us. Naturally we shall consider them very carefully when they are received.

Mr. Eyre

Is the Minister aware that a good start has been made on this programme in Birmingham but that ultimately the question of the ownership of land is extremely relevant? Is he aware, further, that the leader of the Birmingham city council has written in robust terms to the chairmen of nationalised industries requiring them to bring forward their land for use? This is an extremely important matter in Birmingham. Will the Minister support the leader of the council by including a letter personally to them—perhaps enclosed with the notification of their increased pay—asking them to respond vigorously in this respect?

Mr. Freeson

I am not aware of the letter to which the hon. Member referred, but I think that he has rather truncated the history of this matter. Some months ago my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was in touch with the chairmen of all the nationalised industries about getting surplus land, especially in partnership authorities, listed and made available to local authorities as part of our efforts in the inner city programmes. When this exercise has been completed we shall consider the position with regard to the programme authorities.

Birmingham has been a subject of correspondence between myself and the leaders of the county and city councils, and also a subject for discussion in the partnership committee machinery. I hope that we will get results. I am watching certain sites very closely, and if difficulties are experienced over negotiations I will not hesitate to involve myself.

Mr. Litterick

Could the Minister tell the House the extent to which the Tory council of Birmingham has underspent the financial allocations made to it for land acquisition, while at the same time blaming the Government for the fact that areas of the city outside the centre are being deprived of resources by that council?

Mr. Freeson

That is a very wide-ranging question. The position on land acquisition for housing purposes cannot be separated from the investment programme activity of the local authority as a whole in housing generally. In 1977–78 the Birmingham city council underspent its housing investment allocation by about £5.5 million. That might not necessarily relate to land acquisition. Under the rules of procedure laid down, it is open to the council to add that figure to the 1978 allocation under what we call the 10 per cent tolerance.

On the general question of land acquisition—this is outside housing for the local authority—we have indicated to local authorities generally and to the partnership and programme authorities in particular that wherever possible they should be prepared to use CLA resources and procedures to bring land into use for commercial, industrial and environmental purposes.

Mr. Heseltine

It is now some months since the Secretary of State wrote to the chairmen of the nationalised industries about the release of land in the inner cities. What has happened in the meantime?

Mr. Freeson

We have had a good response from most of the chairmen. There is one outstanding nationalised industry which is still doing a listing of land available in these areas and is probing the possibility of negotiation on disposal of those sites. If the hon. Member writes to me or to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, he will be provided with more details in correspondence.