HC Deb 04 February 1981 vol 998 cc277-8
5. Mr. Kenneth Marks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes have occured in the instructions given to the Property Services Agency about the disposal of airfields and other Government properties since May 1979.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg)

My right hon. Friend stated on 13 June 1979 that surplus land should be offered for sale as soon as practicable and abolished the procedure whereby surplus Government land had first to be offered to other public authorities.

We published last September proposals for widening the scope for offering back surplus property to former owners, and expect shortly to announce the outcome of consultations on those proposals. The Property Services Agency has been acting on these proposals during the period of consultation.

Mr. Marks

That came early after the election. If the purpose was to reduce the public sector borrowing requirement, why was Wisley airfield sold in such indecent haste to Lord Lytton at an agricultural price, when an appeal had been lodged which, if successful, would have raised the value of the land from a few hundred thousand pounds to several million pounds? Was that at the instruction of the Secretary of State?

Mr. Finsberg

I gave a full explanation in my reply to an Adjournment debate on 24 July 1980 of the circumstances which surrounded the sale of that property to the successor of the former owner. Since that time, my hon. Friend the Member for Dorking (Mr. Wickenden) has referred the matter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, and a planning appeal is in train. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail at this stage.

Sir Albert Costain

Is the Minister aware that there are a number of Service personnel about to retire and living in houses outside the county who would like to purchase their houses? Will my hon. Friend facilitate that?

Mr. Finsberg

If my hon. Friend would care to send me details, I should be glad to consider those cases.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Everyone knows—except probably the Minister—that the forerunner of this organisation has lost hundreds of millions of pounds. Is he aware that the so-called investigation now going on will again cost millions of pounds, mainly going to the very highly paid lawyers who come up with condemnations, but no action will be taken? Can the Minister guarantee that some of these people will be sacked for the way in which they have milked the taxpayer of hundreds of millions of pounds?

Mr. Finsberg

Unlike the hon. Gentleman, I have no intention of prejudging the case.

Mr. John Wells

As it is well known that municipal airfields all lose money, will my hon. Friend take steps to persuade or coerce Kent county council to dispose of the disused West Mailing airport and not to waste the Kentish ratepayers' money in trying to bring it back into unwanted and unwarranted service?

Mr. Finsberg

That supplementary question does not arise from this question. However, I shall draw it to the attention of my appropriate hon. Friend.