§ Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, during his preparations for new legislation to plug gaps in the laws against pollution, he considered the advantages of a Clean Land Act which would impose a statutory duty on local authorities to restore their derelict sites, and on private landowners 311W to keep their property up to amenity standards.
§ Mr. Graham PageI share the hon. Member's desire for higher environmental standards. But the imposition of new mandatory requirements on public authorities and private landowners is not the most effective way of achieving them. It is better to secure that local authorities have every support and encouragement in making full use of the existing powers. They are responding well to the generous grants for derelict land reclamation and for the special environmental assistance scheme.