Orders of the Day — Requisitioned Land and War Works Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 February 1945.

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Photo of Sir John Anderson Sir John Anderson , Combined Scottish Universities 12:00, 13 February 1945

I am glad to have an opportunity to refer to that matter. Greatly to my surprise, I have been told by several Members that there is an impression that this Bill is to be used when it is in operation to enable the Government to abstain from restoring the surface of land from which open-cast coal has been acquired. I wish to -say, in the most categorical terms, that I know of absolutely no foundation for that suggestion. There are two departments concerned in this matter, the Ministry of Fuel and Power and the Ministry of Works. I have inquired of them both, and I am assured that there is no intention whatever of departing in any way from the very high standard, which I can say from personal experience has so far been followed, in regard to the restoration of land from which open-cast coal has been recovered.