HC Deb 08 November 1978 vol 957 cc936-7
3. Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Community Land Act to date.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Guy Barnett)

Local authorities have responded well to the measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction on 19th June, and the level of activity under the community land scheme now appears to be roughly double what it was a year ago.

Mr. Latham

As the scheme has so far cost the taxpayer £26 million, is it not fast going the same way as the Land Commission Act 1967, which the late Mr. Richard Crossman described as a total failure that had made the situation worse?

Mr. Barnett

No, Sir.

Mr. Blenkinsop

First, is my hon. Friend taking adequate note of the success of the land scheme in Wales? Secondly, is there any evidence that the instructions from Conservative Central Office to Tory-controlled local authorities have had a damaging effect on the use of the new regulations under the Community Land Act?

Mr. Barnett

I notice a difference of emphasis in the Conservative Party's attitude. The hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) wrote an article which clearly shows his admiration of the work of the Land Authority for Wales, which is quite out of line with the view of the Opposition Front Bench. I am well aware of the success of the scheme in the North of England. I am also aware that three Conservative-controlled county councils have asked for and are receiving block loan sanction under the scheme. Therefore, whatever emanates from the Conservative Central Office, the fact is that many Conservative authorities are operating the scheme successfully.

Mr. Rossi

Does the Minister agree that the Act has failed in one of its primary objectives, that of making land available for housing development? Only 46 acres were made available for this purpose in the first year, and the whole of the house building industry is complaining bitterly that it faces a land famine within the next two or three years unless the Act is repealed.

Mr. Barnett

First and foremost, the hon. Gentleman asked about land famine. We investigate and monitor this matter regularly, and there is no shortage generally. On the other hand, there are, unquestionably, examples of local shortages of land. That is why we made it abundantly clear in the circular we issued recently that it was the responsibility of local authorities to work closely with local builders so that they could bring land forward under the scheme for the very purposes about which the hon. Gentleman has spoken. Therefore, I hope that we shall have his encouragement to local authorities, of whatever political persuasion, to do what I suggested, which is to operate the scheme in the way that was intended.