§ Mr. CASSELasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he had invited the local authorities to express any opinion on the question as to whether or not they were in favour of appeals against orders under Part I. of the Housing, Town-Planing, etc., Act, 1909, being made to a judicial tribunal in substitution for the Local Government Board; and whether he was aware that several London borough councils had spontaneously made representations in favour of appeals against orders under Part I. of the Housing, Town-Planning, etc., Act, being made to a judicial tribunal?
§ Mr. BURNSI have not invited any expression of opinion from local authorities on the question referred to by the hon. Member, nor do I consider it necessary to do so. I am aware that several London borough councils have made representations to the effect mentioned, but I should prefer not to commit myself to the acceptance in its fullest sense of the word "spontaneously." I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 1st March last to a question on this subject put by the hon. Member for Hammersmith.
§ Mr. CASSELasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he was prepared to initiate or support legislation to amend the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, by providing that appeals under Part I. of the Act should be to a properly constituted legal tribunal bound to deal with the appeal in a judicial manner?
§ Mr. BURNSI am not prepared to initiate or support legislation for altering the tribunal, nor am I satisfied that there is any general demand for such alteration. The matter was fully discussed in Parliament in connection with the Act of 1909, and, as I have previously stated, there does not seem to be any good reason for altering the Act in this matter.