§ LORD O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many acres of derelict land there were in the United Kingdom in 1960 and in each year since.
§ LORD KENNETSurveys of derelict land began in 1964 for England and Wales, and the relevant annual figures96WA are given in the table below. Annual figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not available.
Position at Total Acreage of Derelict land Acreage justifying treatment Acreage reclaimed in preceding year (1) (2) (3) (4) 31/12/64 … 99,091 59,495 2,481 31/12/65 … 107,515 63,833 2,393 31/12/66 … 111,088 68,072 1,842 31/12/67 … 112,428 70,113 1,867 31/12/68 … 112,961 71,705 2,695 The increases shown in columns (2) and (3) reflect, in the main, additional survey work by local authorities and recent railway and colliery closures as a result of which land previously in operational use has been classified as derelict. These increases arc not, therefore, a measure of the rate at which dereliction has been caused during the five-year period.
House adjourned at nine minutes before seven o'clock.