§ Mr. Stottasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement regarding the future of the village of Laxton, Nottinghamshire.
§ Mr. WigginThe Laxton estate is included in the programme of land sales being carried out by this Ministry, which was recently announced in the White Paper on the Government's expenditure plans for 1980–81 (Cmnd. 7746).
The ancient open field system is currently administered voluntarily by the tenants, who have clearly indicated a wish for it to continue. My Department will take every possible step to ensure that any purchaser continues the system. For this reason the sale is being treated as a special case, and the estate will be offered only to those able to give the necessary assurances about the future of the system and the welfare of the tenants