§ 3.11 p.m.
§ Lord SANDYSMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress is being made towards implementing a coherent and effective policy for using the Land Fund; and whether they will make a statement.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, as the noble Lord will know, the Expenditure Committee published on 14th June a report on the National Land Fund prepared by its Environment Sub-Committee. The 375 Government welcome the opportunity afforded by this report to examine current and future policies on the National Land Fund and on other matters affecting the national heritage. The Government are considering the recommendations made in the report and they will be making their reply in due course.
§ Lord SANDYSMy Lords, I thank the Government for that reply. I wonder whether the noble Baroness can inform the House whether her right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be putting this in the form of a White Paper, or in the form of a Green Paper for consultation?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I am afraid I cannot give the noble Lord any further information on this. I would just point out that the report has only been out for two weeks. It raises substantial issues and they will take some time to be considered. There is really nothing more I can say about it.
§ Lord REIGATEMy Lords, are the issues raised by this report any more substantial now than they were a year ago when I introduced a Bill to implement what the Select Committee has now recommended? The Government's attitude at that time was hostile and obdurate.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, this is a report by a Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee of another place, and the Government are now considering it. It would be rather unfortunate if the noble Lord—I am sure he does not want to do it—produced a sour note about it before anything has been said. There is nothing I can add to that, except that I hope that noble Lords will give the Government time to consider this question and go into all the recommendations that have been made by the Sub-Committee.
§ Lord DAVIES of LEEKMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that some of us are of the belief that the Land Fund was established as a war memorial? The whole purpose and direction of this Land Fund seems to have gone awry since those days. Some of us believe that it would be worth while, if the Governent could find the time, to have a full dress debate and obtain opinions from 376 all sides of the House on this important problem.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I am sure that my colleagues in another place will note with great interest everything that has been said by my noble friend and noble Lords opposite on this subject, and will certainly take it into consideration when considering the whole report.
§ Lord HARMAR-NICHOLLSMy Lords, does the noble Baroness appreciate that her reply, while soothing, does not reflect any urgency? It would seem that a White Paper, or some further indication of what the Government's thinking might be, would be very worthwhile in preventing damage.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I am sorry if my replies do not give the feeling of urgency, because I do have that feeling. They give no information, but that is absolutely intentional because there is none to give.