§ Mr. Robert Howarthasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations have been made by local authorities or associations to his Department in the last 10 years requesting legislation which would enable them to compel owners of potentially dangerous old industrial sites and open water courses to adequately fence or make safe such areas; and what replies he has sent.
§ Mr. MacCollA number of representations have been received over this period but it has often been found that local authorities' existing powers are adequate to deal with the particular dangers mentioned and this has been explained in reply. In the Department's Circular No. 52/65 every local authority was asked to review their area and to make sure that everything possible had been done to deal with existing sources of danger and to carry out similar reviews at regular intervals in the future.
The question of further legislation will be considered if evidence is produce of the need for it.