HC Deb 17 June 1952 vol 502 cc977-8
32. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he will take to ensure that the correct names and addresses of property owners are recorded with local rating authorities.

Mr. H. Macmillan

I do not think that any steps are called for on my part.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Is the Minister aware of the difficulties met by many boroughs when trying to ensure compliance with sanitary notices, when they find that owners of property are working under false names with accommodation addresses, and cannot be traced? Is not that an unsatisfactory state of affairs and should not local authorities be able to ascertain without difficulty the real owner of any property?

Mr. Macmillan

It would be a difficulty if it were not that sanitary notices, and similar documents, may, by law, be addressed simply to the owner of the property.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Is it not a fact that sanitary notices entail large expense when the sanitary authorities have to be in a position to carry out the work? What action can be taken by the local authority in those circumstances? The Minister is not treating this problem with the seriousness that it deserves.