§ 27. Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will investigate the possibility of some arrangement being made whereby condemned cottages, which cannot be pulled down owing to the lack of other housing accommodation, may be made weather proof and inhabitable, particularly where the low rental makes it impossible for the owner to meet the expense involved.
§ Mr. DaltonIf the hon. Member will let me have particulars of any cottages which he has in mind, I will look into the matter.
§ Mr. BossomIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that all over the country there are many cottages of this sort with which the Minister must, or should be, acquainted; and, in the circumstances, could he not give this consideration to see whether something could be done, as there is a possibility that a great many of these houses could be used for helping to lessen the housing problem.
§ Mr. DaltonThis question relates to condemned property.
§ Mr. BossomThey are condemned.
§ Mr. DaltonExactly. If they are condemned they are not fit to be lived in. Therefore, in the great majority of cases it would be a misuse of building labour and materials, which could be used in building good new houses, to expend them on patching up condemned houses.
§ Mr. BossomWhile agreeing that it is better to have new houses, might I ask, when we are not having enough new houses and people are having to live, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, in condemned houses, whether he would not make some temporary arrangement whereby people can have a place to live in?
§ Mr. DaltonI have already asked the hon. Gentleman to give me details of any particular cases, but generally speaking I would be against using building labour and materials on patching up condemned houses.