HC Deb 21 December 1983 vol 51 cc425-6
15. Mr. Martin Stevens

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the 24,000 acres of unused public land owned by nationalised industries and statutory undertakers at 1 July 1982 has been sold since then.

Mr. Macfarlane

Between 1 July 1982 and 1 July 1983, the last date for which figures are available, 1,100 acres of land owned by the nationalised industries and statutory undertakings have been removed from the land registers following disposal, and a further 138 acres have been removed because the land has been brought into use.

Mr. Stevens

I thank my hon. Friend for that welcome news. What steps are he and his departmental colleagues taking to speed up the process still further?

Mr. Macfarlane

Neither I nor my right hon. Friend is satisfied with the rate of disposal of land from the registers. I would not pick out the nationalised industries and the statutory undertakings for special criticism. It is dangerous to generalise, but we are stepping up the pressure on owners — local authorities as well as nationalised industries—to explain what they are doing with such developable sites. I am anxious that we should proceed with this urgently throughout 1984.

Mr. Eastham

Can the Minister assure us that, despite the Government's anxious pursuit of their intention to get their hands on this land, they will use every endeavour to make sure that the land is not sold off to cowboys who will not do a proper reclamation job when they have got control of it?

Mr. Macfarlane

I take note of what the hon. Gentleman has said.

Mr. Steen

Bearing in mind that there are still 104,000 acres on the land registers, will my hon. Friend consider persuading the nationalised industries to get rid of 10 per cent. of all their vacant land every year by putting it up for auction, without reserve, on the open market? Would not that be a quicker way of getting rid of the vacant land?

Mr. Macfarlane

I take note of my hon. Friend's proposal and will consider it. We must certainly race on with our programme and keep up the pressures on all who own vacant land.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

As there is little unused public land available for housing development within the national parks, and now that the Government have reviewed the position with regard to section 52 agreements, preventing the Lake District planning board from introducing them, what measures will the Government introduce to ensure that there is no further spread of second homes within the national park?

Mr. Macfarlane

The hon. Gentleman should table a question on that subject, because that question does not relate to the one I have just answered.