§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are being made available for derelict land reclamation under the derelict land grant programme in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe resources available in 1993–94 for derelict land reclamation under the derelict land grant programme will be £103.5 million.
The reclamation of derelict and often seriously contaminated land plays a vital role in regenerating run down urban areas and improving the environment. In the last five years DLG has funded the reclamation of more than 6,000 hectares (14,820 acres) of derelict land, and more than, 1,500 hectares of land are now reclaimed annually.
DLG is available throughout England, but in practice the largest allocations go to the north west and Yorkshire 109W and Humberside regions where some of the most extensive dereliction is found; and to the west midlands where funding is needed for continued investigative and remedial work on old limestone workings in the black country.
A large proportion of the DLG programme will be devoted to 25 rolling programmes of reclamation, which will receive £45 million in 1993–94.
Reclamation in areas subject to colliery closures is an important priority. DLG is being used in these areas mainly to reclaim collieries closed before March 1990: British Coal has agreed to take financial responsibility for the reclamation of most collieries closing since then. In 1993–94, £19 million of DLG will be devoted to treating dereliction arising from coal mining.
The Government's continued high level of commitment to the clearance of dereliction will ensure that momentum is not lost in the handover to the urban regeneration agency. The agency will have a wide range of powers to deal with derelict, vacant and underused land either itself or in cooperation with local authorities and the private and voluntary sectors.