§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman) of 11 February 1998,Official Report, column 234, on the Green Belt for what reasons figures are not available for Green Belt recovery before 1 May 1997. [33484]
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§ Mr. RaynsfordInformation in the form requested is not collected centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman) on 11 February 1998,Official Report, column 234; the information relating to the period before 1 May 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the next figures will be published for the amount of Green Belt land in England. [33479]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThere is no specific definition of 'green' land, but it could be interpreted as 'land not previously developed'. This would include land under rural uses (e.g. agriculture, forestry) and also vacant land in urban areas that was not previously developed. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has recently commissioned a major new survey of the British countryside. Countryside Survey 2000, as it is known, will provide figures on the amount of different rural land types and habitats. Results will be published in the year 2000.
Some land under rural uses is protected against development, as designated Green Belts. The most recent authoritative figures for the amount of land designated as Green Belt were for 1993. More up to date information will be available by summer 1998.