§ 17. Mr. Ralph Morleyasked the Minister of Health if he will frame regulations or take other steps to make it compulsory for the vendor of a house built previously to 1939 to announce its 1938 value to the purchaser.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Aneurin Bevan)I have no power to make such regulations.
§ Mr. MorleyCan my right hon. Friend say what steps he proposes to take to deal with the inflated prices of houses for sale at present, and has he not received representations on this subject from national bodies?
§ Mr. BevanThis matter has been raised from time to time. It has been generally accepted that it would be almost impossible to frame laws which would prevent 2349 this mischief, and it is not wise to frame laws which can be disregarded by citizens. I believe that housing prices are now beginning to fall.
§ Mr. ChetwyndDoes my right hon. Friend consider that the worst abuses in this matter might be obviated if the seller had to register the price last paid with the local authority?
§ Sir William DarlingDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the worst abuses would be obviated by building more houses?