§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was spent by the Government, local authorities and the National Coal Board on land 155W reclamation in Wales in (i) 1975 and (ii) 1985, or the last year for which figures are available; and what acreage of land was reclaimed by each body.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsLand reclamation schemes often incur expenditure in more than one year. The following information is therefore provided on the basis of schemes approved to start in the years in question.
In 1975 the Welsh Office provided 85 per cent. grant-aid to local authorities for approved expenditure on land reclamation. In that year schemes were approved involving the reclamation of 1,322 acres of derelict land by local authorities at a total cost of some £8.8 million, for which the Welsh Office provided grant-aid of £7.5 million.
The Welsh Development Agency now provides 100 per cent. grant-aid to local authorities for approved expenditure on land reclamation. In 1985 the agency approved grant-aid for schemes to reclaim 622 acres of derelict land by local authorities, at a cost of £10.6 million.
No grant-aided reclamation has been undertaken by the NCB, which normally releases its redundant sites to local authorities for reclamation.