§ 16. Mr. Gammansasked the Minister f Health why he has refused permission to the Hornsey Borough Council to exercise its powers under Section 79 (I, d) of the Housing Act, 1936, to sell council houses to their tenants.
§ Mr. BevanIn present circumstances it is considered that as many houses as possible should be kept available for letting by local authorities, and I have so informed the local authority.
§ Mr. GammansIs the right hon. Gentleman suggesting that a local authority is not a responsible body, and does not know its own local circumstances best; and does he realise that the Hornsey Borough Council took into consideration the factors which he has mentioned before making this recommendation?
§ Mr. BevanWhere public money and public facilities have been found to provide houses for letting to those in the greatest need, I do not consider that those houses should now be sold to others merely because they have the money to buy them?