§ Flight-Lieutenant Parkinasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Minchinhampton Commons Committee offered to purchase certain of the buildings forming part of the redundant camp on the common, and that after their offer had been acknowledged by the War Department Land Agents the huts were roughly and partially demolished and the 126W committee were then invited to discuss buying the wreckage; and if he will take steps both to avoid such waste of public money in the future and to restore the beauty and amenities of this place
§ Mr. LawsonI understand that these huts were on land which, although it is the property of the Minchinhampton Commons Committee, is leased to a golf club. When a request. was received from the commons committee to purchase the huts the committee was informed that, in the first instance, sale would naturally be negotiated with the lessees, the golf club. It was, however, suggested that the committee might approach the golf club with a view to arranging the purchase of the huts on behalf of the committee.
In the absence of any further approach from the committee or the golf club and as the huts denied access to a portion of the common, a fact which was understood to be causing inconvenience to the local population, steps were taken to dismantle and store them. My information is that the dismantled portions of the hutting were at no time offered to the commons committee. As the huts have been returned to store there appears to have been no waste of public money Reinstatement of the land is a matter for compensation under the terms of the Compensation (Defence) Act.