HC Deb 18 November 1947 vol 444 cc979-80
44. Mr. A. R. W. Low

asked the Secretary of State for War for how many married families there are married quarters in the United Kingdom; how many of these are occupied by families of men who are no longer serving in the Army; and how many of these are occupied by families of men who are on the permanent staff of Territorial Army units.

Mr. M. Stewart

There are 15,309 Regular and Territorial Army married quarters in the United Kingdom. There are, in addition, 1,464 married officers' quarters. 1,083 are occupied by families of men who are no longer serving in the Army and other irregular occupants, and 582 by the families of permanent staff instructors attached to Territorial Army units.

Mr. Low

Is the Minister doing anything to remedy this state of affairs and to make more married quarters available, as well as to see that the quarters which are designed for married families in the Army are used for that purpose, and not for some other purpose?

Mr. Stewart

Yes, Sir; my right hon. Friend is giving both those matters his earnest consideration.

Mr. Cecil Poole

Can we have an assurance that the term "irregular occupants" used by the Minister is not intended to include families of soldiers serving in such theatres as Palestine? Can we also have his assurance that such families will not be evicted from their present accommodation simply because the soldiers concerned are serving in areas where their families cannot join them?

Mr. Stewart

Perhaps my hon. Friend will put that Question on the Order Paper. I used the term to which he referred to include former civilian employees of the War Department and families to whom the quarters were allocated by local authorities when the War Department loaned them for the accommodation of bombed-out families. We are anxious that these quarters should be used by the families for whom they were intended.

Sir Harold Webbe

May we have the Minister's assurance that these occupants, particularly the families of discharged ex-Service men, will not be evicted and put on the streets without some alternative accommodation?

Mr. Stewart

I think it can be said that we have proceeded in this matter with humanity so far, but I must point out that we must have regard, as I said, to the persons for whom these quarters were intended.

Sir H. Webbe

Will the Minister, therefore, withdraw the proceedings which have already been instituted to obtain possession of such premises?