§ 58. Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the compulsory purchase powers which will obtain when the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill becomes law, with particular reference as to how these will compare with those which operated prior to the Community Land Act 1975.
§ Mr. KingLocal authorities have a number of powers to acquire land com-pulsorily for the purposes of their various functions, and many of these overlap. Under section 112 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, authorities have powers to compulsorily acquire land in connection with development or for other planning purposes. This section is being amended by clause 67 of the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill, so as to replace its opaque wording with something simpler and easier to understand.
But it is not our intention to widen the powers as compared with those which operated before the Community Land Act. I am reconsidering the precise word- 582W ing of clause 67 in the light of the Debate in Standing Committee D on 22 April.