§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings have been demolished in each year since 1970; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the total number of listed buildings in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. OakesResponsibility for these matters in Scotland and Wales rests with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales respectively. The figures below show, however, (i) the number of listed buildings demolished in the United Kingdom in each year since 1970; (ii) the total number of listed buildings in the United Kingdom for each year; and (iii) the number of demolitions expressed as a percentage of the number of listed buildings.
Number of demolitions Number of listed buildings Demolitions as percentage of total annual rate 1970 208 136,385 0.15 1971 219 157,138 0.14 1972 253 188,834 0.13 1973 471* 209,243 0.21 1974 133† 206,062 0.12 (first 6 months) (first 6 months) (based on figures for first 6 months) * The figures for 1973 are exceptionally high because one application—demolition of the Railway Cottages Estate, New Bradwell, Bucks.— involved 163 buildings. † The figures for 1974 are for England and Wales only.