HC Deb 27 October 1982 vol 29 cc450-1W
Mr. Ward

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to encourage local authorities which own farm land to dispose of it to the private sector;

(2) what is the approximate acreage of farm land owned by local authorities in England.

Mr. Giles Shaw:

A figure for the overall acreage is not available, but the latest figure for statutory smallholdings—land which a local authority holds for those wanting to start farming on their own account—is 361,238 acres as at 31 March 1981.

I regularly encourage local authorities and other public bodies to dispose of land at the earliest possible time which they no longer need for their functions. This applies to any farm land they may own as much as to other land.