HC Deb 05 July 1984 vol 63 cc258-9W
Mr. Robert B. Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consult interested parties on the Government's proposals for transferring the Greater London council's interests in land subject to the Green Belt (London and Home Counties) Act 1938.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

Yes. I am today placing in the Library of the House a consultation paper on the options for the future protection of this land. I have taken the opportunity to broaden the issue for consideration beyond that envisaged in the White Paper "Streamlining the Cities" (Cmnd 9063) and have put forward three possibilities:

  1. a) The GLC interest in land both inside and outside Greater London could be passed to one London local authority with land management experience and that there should be consultation arrangements with other London boroughs, possibly by means of an advisory committee.
  2. b) The GLC interest in land wholly outside London could pass to one London local authority while the GLC interest in land within Greater London and that straddling its boundary could be passed to the relevant individual London boroughs, or
  3. c) The opportunity could be taken to consolidate 1938 Act land interests wholly outside London with other district and county holdings and so simplify future management and administration under the Act.

I am asking for comments by 6 August.