§ 40. Brigadier Raynerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how far he has progressed with his plans for housing the police.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)The responsibility for providing accommodation to meet the needs of the Force, which differ in different areas, rests on individual police authorities. The degree of progress made varies from one police district to another. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health is about to issue a 559 circular to housing authorities asking them to give sympathetic consideration to the special needs of the police, to which attention was drawn in the Report of the Oaksey Committee.
§ Brigadier RaynerDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that he will not get any of the good men he wants for the Police Force until he is able to provide far more tied houses for them?
§ Mr. EdeWe are at the moment dealing, I think, reasonably satisfactorily with this matter, having regard to the natural limitations. Local authorities throughout the country are letting out tenders for police houses at about the rate of 1,500 a year.
§ Mr. H. HyndIs my right hon. Friend aware of the difficulties that will face local authorities when they get a circular asking them to give special priority to the police, in view of the many other claims from other priority persons?
§ Mr. EdeIf certain districts want extra policemen, which they continually ask me to provide, they must face up to the responsibility of providing houses for them.