§ Mr. W. Benyonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the reclamation of derelict land in places outside the assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas.
§ Mr. HeseltineI intend to seek power at the next legislative opportunity to make orders enabling me to make grants of up to 100 per cent. of approved expenditure for derelict land clearance in areas specified in the orders.
It would be my intention to exercise this power sparingly and only in cases where the need was great and reclamation was unilkely otherwise to be carried out. Grants made in these circumstances would not lead to increases in total public expenditure authorised for derelict land clearance. The main weight of the derelict land clearance programme will continue 342W to be in the assisted areas and the DLCAs.