§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) new town authorities and (d) other eligible authorities in England had bought no land under the community land scheme by 31 March 1978; and how many authorities bought no land under the scheme in the last two years for which figures are available;
(2) how many (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) new town authorities and (d) other eligible authorities in England had made no bid for loan sanction to buy land under the land scheme by 31 March 1978; and how many authorities made no bid in the last two years for which figures are available;
327W(3) how many (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) new town authorities and (d) other eligible authorities in England had disposed of land bought by them under the community land scheme or appropriated by them to land scheme purposes by 31 March 1978; and how many authorities disposed of land in the last two years for which figures are available.
Type of authority Number not applying for loan sanction for land acquisition Number not acquiring land Number disposing of land acquired District and borough councils* 119 221 33 County councils 24 33 5 Other 2 2 0 * Includes London borough councils, the City of London and other cities.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) new town authorities and (d) other eligible authorities in England have now taken advantage of the block allocations arrangements of circular 44/78 and GNLA 19.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettBlock allocations covering 39 districts and boroughs, and three county councils were issued for 1978–79. Applications covering 88 districts and boroughs and five county councils have so far been received for 1979–80, and more are expected. These arrangements do not apply to new town development corporations.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount of loan sanction had been allocated by 31 March 1978 in respect of the administrative costs of authorities which had not by that time purchased any land under the community land scheme.
§ Mr. Guy Barnett£3.8 million. This does not include the general loan sanction given to authorities for administrative costs incurred in 1975–76, before land scheme acquisitions begun.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what surpluses were made by authorities in the last two years for which figures are available; and what steps have been taken under the arrangements of paragraph 45 circular 121/75, to distribute them to other authorities whose accounts were not in surplus for reach of those years.
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§ Mr. Guy BarnettInformation about community land transactions by new town development corporations is not collected, and any such expenditure is financed by a new town's general resources allocation, not by specific loan sanctions. Information for other land authorities in England for 1976–78—the first two years of acquisitions under the land scheme—is given in the following table:
§ Mr. Guy BarnettNo surpluses were made in 1976–77. Total surpluses of £678,828–98 were made in 1977–78 of which £203,646–80 was distributed in 1978–79 to authorities whose accounts were in deficit.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions have been given for the guidance of his Department's regional officers in their consideration of bids for loan sanction under the community land scheme, beyond the published departmental circulars and guidance notes for local authorities.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettNone in the past two years. Problems are, however, discussed at regular meetings of the officials concerned.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average surplus achieved by authorities upon disposals of development sites purchased by them under the community land scheme after allowing for infrastructure and land-holding costs.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettAbout £7,000 per acre on disposals up to 31 March 1978. This allows for all attributable costs, and, in the case of land leased principally for rent, includes the estimated capital value of the lease.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions of land purchase expenditure under the Community Land Act has been in respect of (a) green field sites, (b) inner city sites and (c) other sites.
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§ Mr. Guy BarnettInformation is not readily available in this form. However, of the expenditure on land acquisitions up to 31 March 1978 about 40 per cent. would appear attributable to sites in the inner parts of cities and towns, about 45 per cent. to outer urban areas and 15 per cent. elsewhere.
§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of total community land expenditure in England was attributable to (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) new town authorities and (d) other eligible authorities in the last two years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettInformation on community land expenditure by new town development corporations is not collected. The information requested for other community land authorities in England is not readily available, but I shall arrange for it to be published in theOfficial Report as soon as possible.