§ Mr. E. Rowlandsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what machinery of financial control exists to limit expenditure on office and shop development in town centres which remain empty and unused over long periods; and whether he will introduce further measures to ensure that this waste of limited building resources is not continued in the future.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonLocal authorities can discourage owners from holding property avoidably empty by adopting the provisions for rating unoccupied property. I am not convinced that further legislation is needed.