HC Deb 06 November 1940 vol 365 cc1337-8
62. Mr. Radford

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that where a person is receiving public assistance and also a rent allowance, the latter has to be paid direct to the person concerned and not to the landlord, and that, in some cases, the tenant retains the money and does not use it to pay his or her rent, which constitutes a fraud on the public assistance committee; and whether he will take steps to have this prevented by the rent allowance being paid direct to the landlord?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Horsbrugh)

Yes, Sir. The Relief Regulation Order prohibits a public assistance authority from paying the rent of a recipient of relief direct to the landlord. There would be strong objections to such an arrangement, and my right hon. Friend is not prepared to amend the Order in the sense suggested by my hon. Friend.

Mr. Radford

Is my hon. Friend aware of the fact disclosed in the Question, that there have been gross cases of misappropriation of money by people to whom these allowances have been paid?

Miss Horsbrugh

While my right hon. Friend realises the difficulties to which my hon. Friend refers, the fact remains that the money must be paid by the relieving authority direct to the applicant and that ordinary proceedings can be taken by the landlord against the tenant if the rent is not paid.

Sir F. Sanderson

Does my hon. Friend not consider that the average landlord is well able to take care of himself?