§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is considering granting derelict land clearance area status for any of the areas which lost assisted area status in the recent review.
§ Mrs. Kellett-Bowmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is considering granting derelict land clearance area status for the Lancaster travel-to-work area, which lost its assisted area status in the recent review.
251W
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe loss of assisted area status reduces the rate of grant available to local authorities for the reclamation of derelict land from 100 per cent. to 50 per cent. and for non-local authority applicants from 80 per cent. to 50 per cent. Certain areas which lost assisted area status in the review still contain significant concentrations of dereliction which need to be dealt with. If the higher rate of grant is no longer available, the recognised reclamation programme in these areas is likely to suffer.
I have decided, therefore, that the following districts should be granted derelict land clearance area status, which will restore their entitlement to 100 per cent. derelict land grant:
- Boothferry (the Goole area)
- Carrick (that part in the Truro TTWA)
- Copeland (the coastal belt west of the Lake District national park)
- Lancaster and Morecambe (west of the M6)
- Restormel (that part in the St. Austell TTWA)
- Vale Royal (that part in the Northwich TTWA)
The appropriate order will be laid before Parliament shortly.