HC Deb 29 October 1952 vol 505 c1899
3. Mrs. White

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why certain married quarters at Sealand, from which former occupants have been evicted, have remained empty for up to 18 months instead of being used to house either British or American families.

Mr. Ward

To enable essential reconditioning to be done.

Mrs. White

Is the Minister aware that these particular married quarters, which have been empty for a long time, are within full view of the main road, and are seen daily by families who believe that they have been put back on the local authority housing list to make way for families evicted from these married quarters?

There is also a rumour current locally that the Americans, who might use them, are not anxious to do so because their lodging allowances are so generous. Will the hon. Gentleman take up the matter with the American forces authorities to see that these houses are occupied as soon as possible?

Mr. Ward

As the hon. Lady is aware, there are two separate camps on this station. The east camp was quickly vacated and is now fully occupied. On the south camp, quarters were handed over to the Americans from September, 1951, as they became vacant. They remained empty because the greater part of the reconditioning that is to be done to them will not be undertaken until the whole site is completely vacant. This vacating has taken some time because we had to put hardship cases from east camp into that camp for the time being.