HC Deb 12 July 1978 vol 953 cc570-2W
Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any local authorities have sent him, as required by paragraph 2(1) of schedule 8 to the Community Land Act 1975, copies of resolutions declaring disposal notification areas since 18th November 1977; if so, which were the authorities concerned; what are the names of the areas contained in those resolutions; and from what date or dates the resolutions become operative.

Mr. McElhone

Grampian region and Banff and Buchan district council have done so jointly. The Longside airfield, Peterhead disposal notification area resolution became operative on 29th May 1978.

Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will bring up to date the information regarding circulars, letters, publicity booklets, orders, regulations, including joint orders, and directions under the Community Land Act given in Written Answers by the Under-Secretary of State, Official Report, 18th November 1977, columns 421–4 and 423–6, and on 6th February 1978, column 440.

Mr. McElhone

The information is as in the following table:

March 1977 have since been resold; what were the total receipts; and how they compare with the £245,282 expenditure costs for acquisition;

(2) whether he will give details for the Grampian and Strathclyde regions, separately, as to how much of the 1.14 acres of commercial land which they acquired under the community land scheme up to 31st March 1977 have since been resold; what were the receipts in each case; and how they compare with the £181,750 expenditure costs for acquisition.

Mr. McElhone

Details of disposals in 1977–78 and subsequently will not be available until all the relevant community land accounts for the year in question have been received.

Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give for each region the figures for staff and administration costs relating to land acquisitions and to the initial setting up of the local authority arrangements for operating the community land scheme in Scotland in 1976–77.

Mr. McElhone

The information is as in the following table:

Staff and Administration Costs 1st April 1976 31st March 1977
Region or Islands Area Amount
£
Borders 3,506
Central 15,809
Dumfries and Galloway 8,304
Fife 16,091
Grampian 38,153
Highland 5,794
Lothian 18,518
Strathclyde 72,275
Tayside 12,237
Orkney 1,110
Shetland 7,409
Western Isles 477
Total 199,683

NOTE. These figures exclude interest payments, which are not allocated among staff, administration and other costs.

Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give details of the criteria under which he gave loan sanction to a local authority in the Strathclyde Region to acquire one acre of commercial land under the Community Land Act at a cost of £159,000; where the specific site or sites is or are located; and whether he regards such a price per acre as being a normal and acceptable transaction which he would be prepared to repeat in appropriate cases.

Mr. McElhone

The criteria used in determining applications to acquire land under the community land scheme are set out in Scottish Development Department circulars, he latest being SDD circular No. 29/1978, dated 12th May 1978. Copies of these circulars are available in the Library. The site in question is in Monklands district. The purchase price was agreed by the district valuer. Future applications for consent under the community land scheme will continue to be judged on their merits in the light of the current criteria.