§ Mr. Biffenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the annual rate of public expenditure, at the most convenient recent date, on grants for reclaiming and renovating derelict sites in development areas; and what studies have been made of a system of nation-wide grants in order to encourage private landowners to reclaim derelict sites.
§ Mr. Graham PageGrants to local authorities for reclaiming derelict land in the development areas in England amounted to £989,053 in 1970–71. These related mainly to schemes approved in earlier years. Gross expenditure approved for grant purposes in those areas in 1970–71 amount to £1,497,939.
I have under consideration the question whether there should be any extension of the arrangements whereby local authorities are involved in the reclamation of derelict land in private ownership.