19. Mr. Steeleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider the practicability of granting building licences to tenants of local authority houses who wish to build houses for their personal occupation and so make additional houses available for needy families without any burden on public funds.
§ Mr. T. FraserMy right hon. Friend is prepared to agree to the granting of building licences for new houses to local authority tenants where this will release a house for another family on the waiting list. It is proposed to tell local authorities that for this purpose they may issue licences, provided they keep within the total allocations of houses already made to them.
Mr. SteeleWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that encouraging reply, may I ask him whether this proposal will mean an expansion of private building or whether it will be done under the present allocation?
§ Mr. FraserI am obliged to my hon. Friend. We have in mind that the licences for these houses may be granted outwith the restriction to one in 10 imposed for the categories announced some time ago.
§ Lord DunglassDoes not the Minister find it very satisfactory that, after a little more than a year, the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Steele) has been converted to Unionist policy?