§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the figure of 20 per cent., as the average cost attributable to the value of the curtilage of the average house, is accurate in so far as Dorset is concerned; what evidence he has as to the rising value of land in that county; and what steps he proposes to take in order to reduce the value of land in that county;
(2) what proportion of the cost of building a house in Dorset is now on average attributable to the cost of the land on which it is built;
(3) what estimate he has of the increase in the price of building land in rural areas in south-west England.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe figure of 20 per cent., as the proportion of land costs in the price of houses, is a very approximate national figure and no separate details are available for Dorset. The average price per plot of private sector housing land in southern England (excluding London) was 26 per cent. higher in 1971 compared with 1970. Separate figures are not available for Dorset or for rural areas in south-west England.
The problem of the rise in the price of land is a general one and is of course related directly to the supply and demand. Ministers have already taken steps to stimulate the supply, and my right hon. Friend will make a further statement shortly.