§ 7. Mr. Austinasked the Minister of Health whether he will consult with local authorities with a view to accelerating the provision of houses for police officers.
§ Mr. BevanConsultations with local authorities already take place as and when occasion arises. Provision is also made in the housing programme for the building of certain numbers of houses by police authorities.
§ Mr. AustinWill my right hon. Friend regard as one of the effects which must arise today the critical position in regard to crime figures and the difficulty in police recruiting?
§ Mr. BevanI am always in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on these matters, and more than 1,000 houses have already been included in the local authority housing programme for police officers and more are in contemplation.
§ Captain John CrowderHas the right hon. Gentleman given any orders, or directions, to local authorities to give priority to married policemen who have no houses in which to live?
§ Mr. BevanI issued a circular on 9th October, 1945, in consultation with the Home Office asking local authorities to take these matters into consideration, but I cannot ask that an overriding priority should be given to an able-bodied police officer as against a consumptive civilian.
§ Mr. LipsonAre these houses intended for police officers in addition to the allocation made to local authorities at the zonal conference? If not, would the right hon. Gentleman agree that they should be additional?
§ Mr. BevanThey are not in addition, they are part of the general housing programme, as indeed they must be, because a police officer who goes into a house releases a house for someone else. I cannot add to the housing programme until 312 Parliament adds to the physical resources of the country.