§ 25. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Minister of Health if he will take the power to prevent the requisition of property which is unoccupied pending the determination of development charge under the terms of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, in cases where the absence of beneficial occupation is due solely to delay on the part of the Central Land Board.
§ Mr. BevanIn cases where I authorise the requisition of unoccupied dwellings the owners have the right to make representations, which the local authority must take into account before deciding whether to retain the premises. An owner could in such representations adduce considerations of the kind referred to in the Question.
§ Mr. Thornton-KemsleyHas the Minister power to intervene, and would he intervene in a case of which I would be happy to give him notice, where an owner had agreed to sell his house to a doctor and it became necessary to supply him with the assessment of development charge; it took over three months for the Central Land Board to assess the charge, in course of which time the local authority posted a notice on the door stating that it was requisitioned?
§ Mr. BevanIf the hon. Member will let me have particulars of the incident, I will have it investigated.