HC Deb 24 October 1946 vol 428 cc5-8
5. Mr. Sparks

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, to the nearest convenient date, the number of cases submitted by lessees to each Furnished Houses Rent Control Tribunal; the number of cases where notice to quit has subsequently been served upon the lessees; and the number of cases where lessees have been evicted in disregard of the three months security provision.

Mr. Bevan

As the reply to the-first part of the Question contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. As regards the remaining parts of the Question, I have no detailed information but I have recently delegated to clerks of local authorities powers of requisitioning to prevent such evictions in future. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the circular I have issued on the subject.

Mr. Sparks

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean, in regard to powers of requisitioning, that such powers will be confined to the actual tenancy involved, and not the requisitioning of the whole of the house in which the tenancy is?

Mr. Bevan

The purpose of the requisitioning is to protect the tenant who has appealed to the tribunal because of his fear of being evicted. That is the limited purpose of the requisitioning in this case, and it has no reference to general requisitioning powers.

Mr. Janner

Would my right hon. Friend direct or suggest to the tribunals that, at the time when they hear these applications, they should inquire whether notice to quit has been given and advise the landlords and the tenants of their rights under the Act, particularly in view of the cases in which tenants are being evicted although there is no right vested in the landlord for that purpose?

Mr. Bevan

As hon. Members will recall, when the legislation was before the House I took the view that it was undesirable to put powers in the Bill to protect the tenant from eviction, because it might have the effect of reducing the amount of accommodation offered. The position now is that very general publicity has been given to the fact that requisitioning powers are available, and tenants are being progressively protected, but I am quite certain that this Question and answer will give further publicity. The hon. Member must not ask me to direct the chairmen of tribunals in these matters.

Following are the figures:

THE NUMBER OF CASES SUBMITTED TO TRIBUNALS BY LESSEES UP TO 3OTH SEPTEMBER IS TABULATED BELOW.
Tribunal for No. of Cases.
Metropolitan Boroughs of Fulham; Hammersmith and Kensington 174
Metropolitan Boroughs of Clelsea; Holborn; and Westminster 125
Metropolitan Boroughs of Paddington and St. Marylebone 310
Metropolitan Boroughs of Hampstead and St. Pancras 103
Metropolitan Boroughs of Hackney, Islington and Stoke Newington 69
Metropolitan Boroughs of Battersea and Wandsworth. 27
Boroughs of Mitcham and Wimbledon Metropolitan Boroughs of Bermondsey, Camberwell, Lambeth and Southwark 38
Metropolitan Boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich, Lewisham and Woolwich 27
County Borough of Croydon 21
Boroughs of Beckenham; Beddington and Wallington; and Bromley Urban Districts of Banstead, Carshalton, Coulsdon and Purley, Orpington and Penge. 21
Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. 38
Boroughs of Barnes; Epsom and Ewell; Malden and Coombe; Richmond; Surbiton, and Sutton and Cheam. 38
Urban Districts of Merton and Morden and Esher. 38
Boroughs of Brentford and Chiswick; Heston and Isleworth; and Twickenham. 33
Urban Districts of Feltham, Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames. 33
Boroughs of Acton; Ealing; and Southall. 51
Urban Districts of Hayes and Harlington; Ruislip - Northwood; Uxbridge; and Yiewsley and West Drayton. 51
Boroughs of Hendon; Wembley; and Willesden. 17
Urban District of Harrow. 17
Boroughs of Edmonton; Finchley; Hornsey; Southgate; Tottenham; and Wood Green 16
County Borough of Manchester Boroughs of Altrincham; and Sale Urban Districts of Bowdon; and Hale County Borough of Sheffield 7
Borough of Chesterfield 7
Urban District of Bolsover; Dronfield; and Staveley. 7
Rural Districts of Rotherham; and Wortley. 7

Tribunal for No. of Cases.
County Borough of Leicester 3
Borough of Loughborough 3
Urban Districts of Hinckley, Melton Mowbray; and Oadby. 3
Rural Districts of Ashby-de-la-Zouch; Barrow-upon-Soar; Market Bosworth; and Melton and Belvoir. 3
City of Bristol 24
Urban Districts of Clevedon; Keynsham; Portishead; and Kingswood 24
Rural Districts of Long Ashton; Sodbury; and Warmley. 24
County Borough of Oxford 1
Boroughs of Abingdon, Brackley; and Woodstock. 1
Urban District of Bicester 1
Rural Districts of Abingdon; Banbury; Brackley; Witney; and Chipping Norton. 1
Boroughs of Aldershot; and Basingstoke. 4
Urban Districts of Alton; Farnborough; Farnham; Fleet; and Frimley and Camberley. 4
Rural Districts of Basingstoke; Kingsclere and Whitchurch; Alton; and Hartley Wintney. 4
Total 1,149