§ Mr. Emeryasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he will now initiate plans for reconstituting, at the earliest 1159W post-war date, the bombed and surrounding areas, and that the plans shall be published for scrutiny and criticism by the public well in advance of final adoption?
§ Mr. HicksMy Noble Friend is considering, in consultation with the Departments concerned, the administrative and legislative measures required for the reconstruction of war-damaged areas, and has instituted for this purpose certain preliminary inquiries, notably test surveys of, actual conditions in certain heavily damaged areas. It is contemplated that local authorities will be asked to prepare provisional plans for the re-development of these areas. Facilities for public scrutiny and criticism would be afforded before any such plans were finally adopted.
§ Mr. Emeryasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he will warn purchasers of real estate and of property leases in or near war-damaged areas that ownership titles dated after Michaelmas, 1940, will be held invalid if the related property should be required for a reconstruction scheme, or, alternatively, that the property will be requisitioned at a price less than the last purchase price?
§ Mr. HicksMy Noble Friend is aware of the problems of land acquisition which arise in connection with the reconstruction of war-damaged areas and is giving them his urgent consideration. I would draw my hon. Friend's attention in this connection to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Beechman) on 29th January containing the terms of reference of the Committee set up under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Uthwatt, of which I am sending him a copy.