§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has given to nationalised industries that own or manage sites that are surplus to requirement or derelict land; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregor[pursuant to his reply, 17 February 1986]: Nationalised industries are expected to operate commercially within the framework laid down by their statutes and the Government. As such they have an incentive to sell assets, including land, which are surplus to their requirements. Additionally, industries which have unused or underused land on the land registers held by the Department of the Environment are subject to the provisions of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.