21. Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding progress by local authorities in releasing non-essential land holdings.
§ Mr. John PattenI shall be bringing forward legislative proposals to improve the land registers system and to streamline the statutory procedures for forced disposals. Since 1981 43,000 acres have been removed from the registers largely because that land has been sold or brought into use. 100,000 acres, about 60 per cent. of which is owned by local authorities, remain on the registers. Progress is being made but a great deal of land owned by local authorities needs to be sold or brought into use.