§ 48. General CROFTasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the fact that cases have recently occurred where middle-class tenants have been turned out of their homes on account of their houses being sold over their heads to aliens; whether he is aware that this has happened frequently in instances where the householder is serving his country, with the result that his family are turned out with nowhere to go; and whether he will immediately bring in a Bill to extend the present Rent Bill to houses of a higher rental value?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Walsh)I have been asked to answer this question. I can only refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which was given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Beading on the 1st instant.
§ General CROFTIs the hon. Gentleman aware that scores of these cases are occurring, and it is really becoming a very great scandal throughout the whole of the South of England and the Home Counties, and will he reconsider his answer in view of this fact?
Mr. WALSHI am aware that a great many cases have taken and are taking place, but whether legislation is necessary is a different thing.
§ General CROFTIf legislation is found to be necessary in the case of poor people, now that so many cases are occurring of people who are paying higher rents, many of them widows or officers' wives left alone at home, is it not imperative that the same principle should be applied, and that there should not be one law for the poor and another for the rich?