§ 40. Mr. MYERSasked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the case, of C. W. Outwin, an ex-service man, who up to recently occupied a house at 119, Tivoli Street, West Norwood, erected by the Lambeth Borough Council under the Government schemes, at a rental of 19s. 4d. per week, upon which arrears of rent to the extent of £20 accumulated, due to lack of employment, and for which sum a judgment in the Court was secured against the tenant and not contested by him; whether he is aware that responsibility for the rent was subsequently accepted by the board of guardians, and that the offer was rejected by the Lambeth Borough Council, that later forcible entrance into the house was effected under a distress warrant by persons under the authority of the council, the contents of the house, valued at £60, 1322 taken away and sold, and that the man's wife and four children, age one to 14 years, were compelled to seek the shelter of the Poor Law institution; and whether, having regard to the 2½ years' military service overseas of the man referred to and his low nervous condition arising therefrom, he will make such representation to the Lambeth Borough Council upon the matter as the necessity of the case demands?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Alfred Mond)As the answer to this question is rather long, I am circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ I have made inquiries of the borough council and understand that Mr. Outwin was a tenant of one of the council houses from 6th June, 1921, to 4th April, 1922, at a weekly rent; that on only eight occasions was the total rent paid and only six other small payments on account of the rent were received during the tenancy; and that no payments at all were received after 14th November, 1921. The total arrears amounted to £31 7s. 1d. Numerous opportunities were given to the tenant to pay off the arrears of rent by means of instalments, but no payment was received. The council received from the guardians no intimation that they were willing to accept responsibility for the rent; in fact, that body notified the council on the 14th December, 1921, that Mr. Outwin was not known to them. The Order of the County Court was applied for on 11th February, 1922. The council now understand that Mr. Outwin was allowed 24s. on the 24th and 31st March for the payment of rent, but no attempt was made by Mr. Outwin to hand this money over or indeed to notify the council that such a sum had been set aside by the guardians for this purpose. The responsibility for administering the housing scheme rests with the council, and I am not prepared to interfere in the matter.