§ 44. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health, in view of the considerable number of houses in which there are unused rooms, if he will propose to the mayors and chairmen of local authorities that they should make a further appeal to their local citizens to offer for rental, rooms they do not need.
§ Mr. BevanI will bear the suggestion in mind, but I doubt whether, in present circumstances, such a further appeal would achieve substantial results.
§ Mr. SorensenAs the Minister is aware that there are a large number of these unused rooms, can he think of any other way by which he, or the mayors and chairmen of local authorities, can induce tenants or owners of the properties to let the rooms to needy persons?
§ Mr. BevanPeople are notoriously loth to share their houses with other families. The only real solution is to build smaller houses, so that old people can go into them and leave the larger houses.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanSo that the open-mindedness of the House may be demonstrated, may I call your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that the Minister of Health has 44 Questions addressed to him on the Order Paper today?
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that I can correct the hon. and gallant Member. If he would look further down the Order Paper, he would find that there are still more Questions to the Minister of Health.
§ Mr. HayWill the right hon. Gentleman not realise that until he conducts a comprehensive review of the Rent Restrictions Acts, it is quite futile to make further appeals to people to let their houses?