HC Deb 29 July 1943 vol 391 cc1775-6
61. Mr. Craven-Ellis

asked the Minister of Health whether he will devise a scheme which will enable an occupier of a local authority house to become the absolute owner at the end of 35 to 40 years, of the house he occupies and, in the meantime, allow him to remove from one district to another, governed by his employment, without losing the right to ownership at the end of the period and so avoid the immobility which the present system of purchasing houses imposes and the unnecessary unemployment often brought about by being anchored to a particular house?

Mr. E. Brown

I am unable to add to the replies which I gave to my hon. Friend on this subject last week.

Mr. Craven-Ellis

Will there be no attempt whatever to give those who are now making such great sacrifices a stake in the country for which they are fighting?

Mr. Brown

I am afraid my hon. Friend is riding two horses which do not run very well together—the narrowest possible field for building by local authorities and the greatest possible encouragement to make the sale of their houses attractive.

Mr. Craven-Ellis

The only way of getting houses is by private enterprise.

Forward to