§ 28. Mr. Haleasked the Attorney-General whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the Government's intentions with regard to leasehold reform.
§ 29. Mr. Desmond Donnellyasked the Attorney-General whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the Government's intentions to amend the law of leaseholds.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI am not yet in a position to make a statement.
§ Mr. HaleCould I reiterate the supplementary question I asked to a previous question, and refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the fact that there has been temporary legislation which depends entirely for its efficacy on the implementation of the promise to introduce permanent legislation? This is a very important matter, on which careful and detailed reports exist. We are relying on the Government to take this opportunity of producing one measure of social reform, even if it is only the pip in the lemonade.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI fully appreciate that the temporary Act expires in the mid-summer of 1953 and that action must be taken in plenty of time before that, but owing to the condition in which the late Government left the law on this subject it requires careful consideration.
§ Mr. DonnellyIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware of the fact that this problem is not the fault of the last Government? It is the fault of Tory landlord administration in the past. Will the hon. and learned Gentleman give a firm assurance that he intends to introduce an 625 extension of the leasehold protection included in the 1951 Act before that Act expires?
§ Mr. Roderic BowenWhen considering whether or not it is necessary to expedite the introduction of leasehold reform, will the hon. and learned Gentleman bear in mind that there was considerable delay in this matter on the part of the last Government, and that when he comes to consider reform it should not be confined to matters which were dealt with in the temporary Measure introduced by that Government?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI will bear all those considerations in mind.
§ Mr. Patrick MaitlandWill my hon. and learned Friend bear in mind the great distress of leaseholders, not least in Scotland and particularly Stonehouse, where they are being pressed by their landlords who are using the threat of the housing shortage to extract from them extortionate sums of money? Will he give this matter urgent consideration?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI will consider the matter.
§ Mr. James CallaghanAs the hon. and learned Gentleman waggled his head in a horizontal direction when asked to give a definite assurance about introducing legislation—which I take to mean that he will not give that assurance—will he bear in mind that this was a matter upon which the Conservative Party gave the most explicit assurances in South Wales that legislation would be introduced in order to relieve the householder? Will he give the Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Llewellyn), the chance of redeeming his promise on this matter to his electors?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI thought I made it perfectly clear that provision must be made in this matter before the midsummer of 1953. All I was unwilling to do was to commit the Government—indeed it would be impossible for me to commit the Government in this way—to any date.