HC Deb 12 February 1929 vol 225 cc227-8
56. Miss WILKINSON

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the fact that many house agents refuse to place on their books the names of couples who have young children and who are seeking apartments, on the ground that landlords will not accept tenants with more than one child, he will issue a circular to local authorities asking them to make a survey of such accommodation as is available to couples with children for the purpose of supplying information, kept up-to-date, to such parents, thus obviating much hopeless searching for homes, and at the same time giving to the housing committees more accurate data of the need for houses and flats than is available at the present time?

Sir K. WOOD

My right hon. Friend does not think that the suggestion made by the hon. Member is practicable. The real solution of the difficulty, as was stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on the 29th ultimo, is to increase the amount of available accommodation, and my right hon. Friend trusts that local authorities will continue to direct their efforts in this direction.

Miss WILKINSON

Seeing that it takes such a long time under the present Government to get this alternative accommodation, does not the right hon. Member think that some small practical steps might be taken to aid these unfortunate women who are tramping streets trying to get this accommodation and who are being told by house agents that the landlords will not take them? Surely his Department has some duty in the matter?

Sir K. WOOD

The hon. Member has not studied the housing statistics. Considerable progress of an almost unexampled character has been made in the last few years, and I think it would be far better for local authorities to act as house builders rather than as house agents.

Miss WILKINSON

After the Parliamentary Secretary has finished studying to his own satisfaction the statistics issued by his own Department, will he also study the large number of advertisements which appear in every town in this country, and which say "No children taken." Will he, therefore, do something to help these women, because house agents refuse to help them at all?

Sir K. WOOD

The only way to help these unfortunate people is to have more houses built.

Mr. DAY

Is it not a fact that some municipal authorities themselves refuse to have children in some of their houses?

Sir K. WOOD

Perhaps the hon. Member will communicate with them and try to help in the matter.