§ 60. Viscount BORODALEasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the hardship imposed upon the tenants of the London County Council at the Wakefield and Primrose tenement houses by the method by which the payment of rates is enforced, a protest against which led to disturbance on 12th November, he will inquire whether some preferable system could be adopted?
Sir H. YOUNGThe matter referred to is solely one for settlement between the London County Council and the Camberwell Borough Council, and I understand that it is under immediate discussion by these bodies.
§ Viscount BORODALEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a meeting took place this morning between representatives of the London County Council and the Camberwell Borough Council, and that no arrangement was come to; and can he inquire into it and see that there is some agreement between these bodies so as to remove an undoubted cause of hardship on the tenants of these houses?
Sir H. YOUNGThe Noble Lord may rest assured that I am keeping in touch with the situation. Perhaps I may take this opportunity of expressing the very clear opinion that it is most desirable that some arrangement should be come to between these two bodies on this subject.
§ Mr. HARRISIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that other borough councils compound for rates, and will he use his influence with the Camberwell Council to follow that practice?
Sir H. YOUNGThe hon. Member is now asking me to act, as it were, as a judge between the parties in the dispute, which I should hesitate to do. I must confine myself to stating that it is in the public interest that there should be an agreement between the authorities.
§ Mr. MAXTONIs it correct to say that the Minister of Health has no right to intervene in a case where the houses have been erected by a public subsidy from his Department, and where rents are being charged which people cannot pay, although it is supposed to be a slum clearance scheme?
Sir H. YOUNGThe hon. Member has asked me a wide question, very much wider than any question involved here. All I have said is that in this particular matter the differences, which do not raise the wide question to which the hon. Member has referred, are entirely a matter for adjustment between the two local authorities.
Mr. M AXTO NIf I understand the circumstances, dozens of the tenants of these slum clearance houses have been evicted—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is making the question rather wide.