§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the reasons for the very limited progress in building the infrastructure in the docklands area of East London.
§ Mr. HeseltineIn the three years since the publication of the Docklands strategic plan, progress has been made in providing some of the infrastructure, including sewerage and drainage and with smaller road schemes and improvements to rail services. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport recently stressed the importance of settling the basic transport infrastructure in and around Docklands and expressed his commitment to getting the right links.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much land is held by State corporations in the dockland area of East London; and whether he will take steps to encourage the corporations to release the land in excess of their requirements to enable comprehensive redevelopment to take place.
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§ Mr. HeseltineDetailed information about land holdings is not available, but the Port of London Authority, the British Gas Corporation, the Thames Water Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board between them own some 2,200 acres in Docklands, including operational land. On the matter of steps to encourage the release of surplus land I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 25 July by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes).—[Vol. 971, c. 584.)