HC Deb 23 June 1982 vol 26 cc292-4
21. Mr. Hawksley

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of vacant and derelict land within new town boundaries are currently entered on the register set up for that purpose.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I fear that it would require a disproportionate effort to estimate the total, but if my hon. Friend has a case in mind I shall consider it.

Mr. Hawksley

Although I thank my hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask whether, because the amount is quite large, he is prepared to give further encouragement to new towns to release surplus land?

Mr. Shaw

We certainly wish to do so. My hon. Friend will be aware that there are many other owners in new towns besides the new town development corporations. The land registers are based on local authority districts, but I accept the tenor of my hon. Friend's remarks.

Mr. Steen

As the Under-Secretary of State well recognises that the best way to rid the country of derelict and dormant land is to reclaim it and to use private money to do so, will he explain why, in the new Bill, the private sector receives only an 80 per cent. grant whereas nationalised industries and the public sector receive 100 per cent. grants?

Mr. Shaw

The reason is simply that the public sector grant-aid system is designed to encourage private sector investment in the development of land thus reclaimed. It is wrong for my hon. Friend to insist that the only benefit to the private sector is the absolute rate of grant available. It also benefits from the major activities undertaken by local authorities.

22. Mr. Cadbury

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to ensure that derelict land once cleared is developed and occupied.

Mr. Heseltine

In the programme for this year I have given priority to schemes by local authorities that involve firm prior agreements with private sector interests for immediate development after reclamation. Those arrangements will continue in 1983–84, and I have just invited authorities to submit bids for the priority schemes by 1 October.

Mr. Cadbury

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Is he aware that large amounts of land in the inner city area of Birmingham that are owned by British Gas and British Rail are still lying idle? Will he apply the same pressures to those nationalised industries as he has applied so successfully to local authorities to release the land for development?

Mr. Heseltine

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the matter. I assure him that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State has had conversations with the Gas Board. I and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services have discussed those matters with the city authority. We shall be continuing the dialogue.

Mr. Graham

The Secretary of State will be aware that the Opposition fully support the Derelict Land Bill and related measures. We wish to see encouragement for the reinstatement of land, but we are worried about the continuing decline in the number of employees at the Department of the Environment. Will the Secretary of State assure us that there will be sufficient inspectors to ensure that when land is reclaimed there is not deposited on it toxic waste and other noxious substances? We are anxious because a shortfall in the number of inspectors many lead to decisions by the operators to negate the conditions that are attached to planning permissions.

Mr. Heseltine

The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. The number of staff employed in my Department is now about 12,000 to 13,000 less that it was three years ago. However, we should not prejudice our ability to carry out essential work, such as inspecting for toxic threats.

Mr. Heddle

Does my right hon. Friend agree that many local authorities are unaware that they can pass derelict urban land to the private sector and build houses on half-and-half, shared ownership schemes? Will he do all that he can to ensure that the local authorities that are ignorant of that fact involve the private sector forthwith?

Mr. Heseltine

There is some lethargy and political prejudice in local authorities, but it is not ignorance.

Mr. Allan Roberts

Does the Secretary of State agree that one of the best ways to use derelict land owned by local authorities is to build council houses on it? Will he help authorities in places such as Merseyside, where waiting lists are becoming longer and longer, to do that?

Mr. Heseltine

The most casual observation of Merseyside would reveal that it has the highest number of empty properties in Britain. The idea that we should build more houses—whereas the local authorities make a priority of renovating existing houses—has nothing to do with housing policy.