§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total sum expended on derelict land clearance in Wales over the past four years; how this figure compares with the previous four years; what are the comparable figures for area cleared; and if he will give a breakdown of the expenditure and area cleared district by district.
§ Mr. John MorrisIn the period 1 April 1975 to 31 March 1979, 3,296 acres of derelict land were reclaimed. Grant expenditure during this period totalled £25,953,000.
In the preceding four years 4,112 acres were reclaimed. Grant expenditure totalled £7,613,000.
The figures are not directly related because grant expenditure lags behind completion of the works. An analysis of expenditure and area cleared by district council areas is only available in respect of work financed by the WDA since 1 January 1976 as follows:
LAND RECLAMATION PROJECTS FINANCED BY THE WELSH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY—AREA RECLAIMED AND EXPENDITURE AS AT 31 MARCH 1979, BY DISTRICT COUNCIL AREAS
816W
District Area reclaimed (acres) Approximate expenditure (£'000) Carmarthen 1 19 Ceredigion 20 28 Dinefwr 2 7 Llanelli 108 632 Preseli — — South Pembrokeshire 1 22 DYFED 132 708 Alyn and Deeside — 2 Colwyn — — Delyn 1 98 Glyndwr — 30
§ Mr. John MorrisThe main Welsh organisations concerned are as follows—I appoint a total of 240 members to them:
District Area reclaimed(acres) Approximate expenditure (£000) Rhuddlan … — — Wrexham Maelor … 9 128 CLWYD … 10 258 Aberconwy … 28 417 Arfon … 50 594 Dwyfor … — — Meirionydd … — — Ynys Mon … 5 — GWYNEDD … 83 1,011 Blaenau Gwent … 974 3,601 Islwyn … 46 266 Torfaen … 185 1,340 Newport … 37 99 Monmouth … 13 85 GWENT … 1,255 5,391 Cynon Valley … 19 174 Merthyr Tydfil … 208 1,927 Ogwr … 15 51 Rhondda … 231 1,364 Rhymney Valley … 299 1,016 Taff Ely … 11 304 MID GLAMORGAN … 783 4,836 Brecknock … 32 154 Montgomery … — — Radnor … 2 — POWYS … 34 154 Cardiff … 9 71 Vale of Glamorgan … 67 51 SOUTH GLAMORGAN … 76 122 Afan … 184 1,048 Neath … — 78 Lliw Valley … 69 731 Swansea … 93 993 WEST GLAMORGAN … 346 2,850 Footnote:
In certain districts expenditure has been incurred on design and other preparatory work but no land has yet been reclaimed.