HC Deb 06 March 1998 vol 307 cc776-7W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of(a) the percentage and surface area of recycled land by county and region in Scotland and (b) the percentage and surface area of this land which requires decontamination. [32424]

Mr. Macdonald

Information is not held centrally on all land that is recycled. However, the table provides information from the Scottish Vacant and Derelict land Survey 1996 on vacant and derelict land which was brought back into use since the 1995 survey.

Of the 688 hectares of land brought back into use, 15 hectares (2.2%) were recorded as being contaminated. Copies of the full report on the Vacant and Derelict Land Survey are available in the House of Commons Library.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants are available to assist with the cost of decontaminating recycled land in Scotland; and what grants have been available in each of the last 12 years. [32425]

Mr. Wilson

Scottish Enterprise, which came into being on 1 April 1991, has comprehensive discretionary powers under Section 4 of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 to undertake or assist the undertaking of the development, re-development and improvement of the environment. Scottish Enterprises's predecessor body, the Scottish Development Agency, had broadly similar powers.