§ Mr. Peter AtkinsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements are in place to ensure that British Coal's recreational land is safeguarded for future recreational use. [40102]
§ Mr. PageThe Government have consistently made clear their intention that British Coal land currently in active use for sport and recreation should be retained for those purposes. To that end, the Prime Minister announced today, at the launch of the first annual report for "Sport Raising the Game", that it has now been agreed by British Coal and the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation that British Coal's freehold interest in its recreational land should be transferred to CISWO. This transfer will be on the basis that existing tenants will, generally, be offered new, long-term leases requiring that the land continues to be used for recreational purposes.