HC Deb 30 October 1985 vol 84 cc517-8W
6. Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received on his policy for the green belt.

19. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future and the protection of the metropolitan green belt.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

I have received a number of such representations. I share the widely-felt concern for the protection of green belt land. The Department's circular 14/84 reaffirmed the importance which the Government attach to green belts and the general presumption against inappropriate development within them.

50. Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land are now protected by green belts and how this compares with the position six years ago.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

In total about 4½ million acres are now fully protected as green belt. When we took office, only about half of this total had been formally approved and about 1.8 million acres of the total was dependant upon detailed application in a miscellany of old development plans.