§ 30. Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will issue instructions that houses required for re-housing purposes in ordinary course will not be used for providing homes for families rendered homeless until local authorities have exhausted their powers of requisitioning unoccupied houses to meet the emergency purposes of such homeless families?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe letting of houses erected by local authorities is a matter within their discretion, as my hon. and learned Friend is aware. I have drawn the attention of local authorities to ways of meeting the problems that arise in re-housing persons rendered homeless by enemy attack, including the requisitioning of unoccupied houses.
§ Mr. GibsonIs the right hon. Gentleman forgetting that Parliament is supreme and is he keeping in mind the fact that, in certain areas, there is an acute housing shortage, and that if the houses are not put to the purpose for which they were designed, there will soon be great distress?
§ Mr. BrownI am aware that Parliament has decided that local authorities have their own duties to perform. The hon. and learned Gentleman would be one of the first to object if I interfered with the working of the Greenock Corporation.
§ Mr. GibsonCannot the right hon. Gentleman get other powers?
§ Mr. BrownIf necessary, yes; but, at the moment, and on the information given to me about the nine cases concerned, I do not think it is necessary. These people were offered houses, but some did not accept, because they wanted other houses.