§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further steps he is taking to speed up the reclamation of derelict land, in view of the increase in the amount of derelict land over the last four years.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonFollowing the publication of the Report of the Hunt Committee, the Government announced an enlarged national programme for derelict land clearance. The Local Employment Bill introduced this session enable additional aid to this end to be given to local authorities over a wide area. The increase in the survey figures for derelict land is not a sign that additional land is being despoiled but is the result of new survey work by local authorities and the reclassification of land no longer in operational use due to recent railway and colliery closures.