§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the progress made in overcoming the damage to buildings, private and public, caused as a result of the Aberfan disaster; and to what extent the local authority concerned has met the costs from its local rates.
§ Mr. George ThomasThe disaster at Aberfan caused heavy damage, requiring demolition, to the junior and infants schools and to forty privately-owned houses, and repairable damage in varying degrees to a number of other privately-owned houses. The cleared sites of the demolished buildings have been acquired by the Trustees of the Aberfan Disaster Fund, who have built a memorial garden on the site of the schools and intend to build a community centre on the site of the houses. The local authority has built on another site new schools which were officially opened by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 20th June. Compensation is payable by the National Coal Board to the council and to private owners in respect of damage to their property.