§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the law so as to 60W ensure that the unlawful demolition of listed buildings will never be to the profit of the owner of the land on which the property is sited.
§ Mr. HeseltineAn amendment of the kind proposed would be, in practice, extremely difficult to devise. However the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 provides for fines and imprisonment, on conviction, if a listed building is demolished without consent. Compulsory purchase orders to secure the proper preservation of a listed bulding may contain a direction for minimum compensation if the building has been deliberately neglected. I would, nevertheless, consider legislation if I became convinced of growing abuse.