36. Mrs. WARDasked the Minister of Health if he can now state the results of his inquiries regarding the allocation of council houses in the Brownhills urban area?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Shakespeare)Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend is informed that all applications for houses provided by the council are investigated fully by a sub-committee of the council and that the requirement of Section 3 (1) (f) of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, that reasonable preference shall be given to large families in letting houses has been observed.
Mrs. WARDDoes my hon. Friend consider that a reasonable preference is being given to tenants with big families, when single couples are allowed to have the keys of these council houses before marriage?
37. Mrs. WARDasked the Minister of Health the terms of any conditions imposed on local authorities regarding the allocation of subsidised council houses?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEARESection 3 (1) (f) of the Blousing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, requires that reasonable preference shall be given to large families in letting houses provided under that Act. Apart from this requirement, the 339 allocation of houses erected by local authorities is within the discretion of the authorities.
Mrs. WARDArising out of my hon. Friend's previous reply, might I ask if he could not possibly lay down some definite instructions, so that single couples are not allowed to have the keys of houses, and the houses allowed to stand empty, a month before marriage?