§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he is aware of the loss of irreplaceable and essential housing land caused by the building of trunk roads through many towns, and the consequent loss of population, Government grants and rate revenue; and if he will seek powers to make special grants in compensation;
(2) what estimate he has made of the approximate loss in population, annual rate revenue and Government grants 36W likely to be caused by the demolition of 2,976 Salford houses owing to the building of trunk roads running through the city before 1975.
§ Mr. MacDermotI am not aware that this is in general a serious problem. The system of rate support grants can cope with many changes, but estimates of the possible effect of a particular change in the financial position of a local authority can only be hypothetical until precise details are known of, for example, the timing of redevelopment and the ages of the people displaced. However, if my hon. Friend wishes some assessment to be made in relation to Salford, perhaps he will write to me.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, if he is aware that 2,976 houses are to be demolished in Salford, of which 1,176 are fit and 1,800 unfit, because of trunk road building; and, as the city has a shortage of building land, what overspill land is available as a second-best alternative.
§ Mr. MacDermotI know that a large number of houses will have to be replaced for road improvements in Salford over the next few years. The Department is in close touch with the local authority over ways of meeting their need for land for house-building.