§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he is now in a position to record the total annual acreage of farmland, forestry and countryside lost to motorways and other major road works for the years 1975 to 1980, respectively;
(2) whether he is now in a position to record the total annual acreage of farmland, forestry and countryside lost to coalmining and other extractive industries for the years 1975 to 1980 respectively;
(3) what is the latest assessment of total annual loss of farmland, forestry and countryside to urban development in the years 1975 to 1980 respectively.
§ Mr. Giles ShawSuch statistics are available for England and Wales only on the loss of farmland and only for all forms of development combined (including mineral working, roads and urban development.) The average annual loss of farmland to such development was 9,282 hectares between 1975–76 and 1979–80.
§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the likely total loss of farmland, forestry and countryside to urban and other forms of ancillary development if the structure plans of England and Wales are fully implemented.
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§ Mr. Giles ShawI regret that structure plans are not required to express policies in terms that enable such an estimate to be readily made.