§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those sales involving surplus land and property in which his Department has inserted a clause in the sale contract allowing his Department to obtain a share of any future development gain; and if he will make a statement. [26323]
§ Mr. WattsThis information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Land which has potential for development will normally be sold with the benefit of planning permission. However, there will be cases where, in the light of professional advice it is decided that there are good reasons to dispose of surplus land or property with development potential without first obtaining appropriate planning permission, for example because it would take unusually long to establish the planning position. In such cases, in accordance with Treasury guidance, my Department considers the possibility of including in the terms of conveyance a clawback clause allowing it to share in any future development gain.