HC Deb 17 November 1949 vol 469 cc2183-4
43. Mrs. Jean Mann

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the increasing price of houses for sale with vacant possession; and if, in view of the withdrawal of building licences and the tendency of prices to increase, he will take steps to protect the public against this exploitation.

42. Mr. Wilkes

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, as a result of the cut in the building programme of houses to be built under licence, the price of houses for sale with vacant possession has risen; and whether he will introduce legislation in order to place a ceiling price on houses for sale with vacant possession so that the present shortage does not lead to yet further profiteering.

Mr. Bevan

I am not aware of any recent increase in the price of houses for sale with vacant possession. The Gov- ernment have fully considered this question, and are not satisfied that effective legislation is practicable.

Mrs. Mann

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the "Auctioneers' Journal" and several estate journals already concede a 10 per cent. increase, and is it not possible for him to follow the example of the Scandinavian countries and make all such houses with vacant possession notifiable to the local authorities, who in turn should keep a list and pass on the particulars to people who are willing to buy and who need them for industrial transfers, because of T.B., or for any other reason?

Mr. Bevan

That would mean that the local authority would have to do all the work of an estate agent, and would require legislation.

Mr. Cecil Poole

Does not the Minister realise that if he does not know that there has been an increase in the price of freehold houses for sale he is about the only person in the country who does not; and will he consider relating the 1938 rateable value of a house to its sale price today, and, in consultation with his right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer seeing if anything can be done about the matter in the next Budget?

Mr. Bevan

This has been looked into very carefully indeed, but no one knows what the sale price of a house would have been in 1938. That is the whole problem. Further, there is no reliable evidence whatsoever, despite what my hon. Friend has said, that the price of houses is rising.

Mr. Tiffany

Could my right hon. Friend say what are the objections to a local authority acting as the sole estate agent?

Mr. Bevan

There are, I think, a very great number of objections which I could mention, but as this requires legislation it is, at the moment, entirely academic.

Mr. Butcher

Will the right hon. Gentleman re-examine the Report of the Morris Committee on the selling price of houses, on which Committee his right hon. Friend the Minister of Town and Country Planning served?