§ 81. Major Anstruther-Grayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes, by financial assistance or otherwise, to induce local authorities to build where possible on rocky and difficult sites rather than take agricultural land for house and school building.
§ Mr. J. StuartThe attention of local authorities has been drawn by circular to the importance of preventing the use of good agricultural land for other forms of development, and the existing procedure for preparing development plans and selecting sites ensures that the agricultural value of potential sites is taken fully into account. There is no special provision for financial assistance of the kind which my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind but advice on the development of difficult sites will be included in the next edition of the Scottish Housing Handbook to be issued shortly to local authorities.