HC Deb 16 August 1895 vol 36 cc159-60
MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether in cases where a local authority acquires lane under s. 57, ss. 1, of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, it is the practice of the Local Government Board to hold that such land, though acquired specifically for the purposes of Part III. of that Act, cannot be appropriated by the local authority for such purpose without the consent mentioned in s. 57, ss. 3; or whether the Board consider that such consent is only necessary either in cases where s. 57, ss. 2, applies, or where land already held by the local authority is intended to be appropriated by such authority for the purposes of Part III. of the Act referred to.

MR. CHAPLIN

There has not been any case in England in which the Local Government Board have been applied to by a local authority for sanction to the appropriation by them of land for the purposes of Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, when such land has, in fact, been acquired for those purposes. As a matter of fact there has been no practice of the Board, because the necessity for deciding on any such application has never arisen.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman meant that no authority locally had acquired land specifically for the purpose?

MR. CHAPLIN

I mean that no application has been made for the consent of the Board.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

Is not the inference that no consent is necessary?

MR. CHAPLIN

The hon. Member is quite as capable of forming an opinion as I am.