HC Deb 11 March 1948 vol 448 c1424
94. Mr. Manningham-Buller

asked the Minister of Health whether he will authorise the granting of a licence to Mr. J. Atlee of Litchborough, Northamptonshire, to erect a small bungalow upon his smallholding.

Mr. Bevan

No, Sir. I understand that the county agricultural executive committee do not support the application.

Mr. Manningham-Buller

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this Mr. Atlee has not occupied a tied house but lives with his aged mother and small child in a converted hen house, and that this application is strongly supported by the local authority?

Mr. Bevan

The county agricultural executive committee do not support it. Where they have supported applications of this sort I have given permission for it to be done, but in these circumstances I cannot do so without giving permission for a large number of similar applications in the rest of the country, which would then cause that unbalance of the housing programme about which hon. Members are often so eloquent.

Mr. Manningham-Buller

May I take it from what the right hon. Gentleman has said that if the county agricultural executive committee reconsider their decision a licence may be granted?

Mr. Bevan

When the county agricultural executive committee have reconsidered their decision, I shall reconsider the application.

Mr. Butcher

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow me to bring to his attention a case where he refused permission although the application was supported by the county agricultural executive committee?

Mr. Bevan

That might indeed happen.