§ 45. Mr. RADFORDasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that, owing to the operation of Section 46 of the Housing Act, 1925, many people of small means who were owner-occupiers of reasonably sound houses or small shops, situate in slum areas, have received no compensation at, all for their property when acquired by the local authority; and whether, having regard to the fact that other schemes are under consideration by the Minister of Health, which, if carried out, will involve hardship on owner-occupiers in the area of such schemes, he will give early facilities for the passing of the Bill dealing with the matter presented by the hon. Member for Central Hackney?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Sir Kingsley Wood)I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hackney, Central (Sir R. Gower) on the 14th November last, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. RADFORDIn view of the unanimity of opinion in all parts of the House in regard to the injustice now being perpetrated, does my right hon. Friend not agree that legislation on the question could be passed in a very few hours?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDAs the reply includes a number of figures I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Sir K. WOODNo, Sir, I am afraid I cannot assent to that suggestion. It is true that there is a good deal of opinion as to the injustice, but there is a great difference of opinion as to the remedy.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEIs it not true that the whole reason for the legislation being introduced was in order to stop the profiteering going on, and which still is going on to a disgraceful extent, in slum property, and is not that, the real difficulty in the occasional and exceptional cases referred to by the hon. Member?
§ Sir K. WOODThat may be so, but I think it must be said that there is injustice in this case which ought to be remedied.