HC Deb 05 December 1956 vol 561 c143W
138. Mr. Kimball

asked the Secretary of State for Air to take immediate steps to speed up the return of land derequisitioned by his Department to agricultural production.

Mr. Birch

Surplus land is being disposed of as rapidly as is practicable. Once land is derequisitioned the use to which it is put is a matter for the owner.

139. Mr. Kimball

asked the Secretary of State for Air if all the former owners of the land on which the ten aerodromes, which are now being derequisitioned in the area of Lincolnshire, administered by the Lindsey County Council, have been given the chance to buy back their land.

Mr. Birch

Only one of these airfields was held wholly on requisition. This airfield and all but 47 acres of the requisitioned areas included in the other nine airfields have now been released. We hope to release the remaining 47 acres still on requisition within the next few months. It will take longer to dispose of the land which we have bought, but former owners of land on five of the airfields have already been approached about repurchase, and the other cases are under consideration. Eight of the airfields are under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and their sale will be handled by that Department.