§ Mr. De Chairasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will in- 433W troduce legislation to protect property owned by the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty from being liable to expropriation by Government Departments or local authorities without the consent of the National Trust in view of the importance to the nation of preserving such places, and the deterrent effect which the threat of such expropriation has upon people contemplating giving historic properties and places of natural beauty to the nation?
§ Captain CrookshankThe Government are fully alive to the great importance of the work of the National Trust, but I do not think that the introduction of specific legislation on the lines suggested would be appropriate.