§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman) of 15 May,Official Report, column 489 on the future of the Commission for the New Towns, what representations he has received on the need for an overarching body to control the sale of assets by (a) his Department, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) other Departments of State, with particular reference to the impact of sales of land on land values in new town areas. [31016]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWe see no case for setting up an overarching body. The announcement on 15 May concerned the assets, rights and liabilities of new towns, urban development corporations and housing action trusts only. We believe that this proposal provides the best way of maximising returns to the Exchequer from sales of land in new town areas and for handling residual matters from the urban development corporations and housing action trusts effectively and economically. The general policy on disposing of Government land is a matter for my right hon. Friend and the learned Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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