§ 51 Mr. Remnantasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has given recently to local authorities on the need to rehouse persons occupying requisitioned properties.
§ Mr. MarplesI am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular issued to local authorities and a copy of the Working Party's Report referred to therein. A further circular will be issued when my right hon. Friend has fully considered the Working Party's Second Report, which he has recently received.
§ Mr. RemnantDoes not my hon. Friend agree that the progress hitherto made in derequisitioning private dwelling-houses has been unnecessarily slow, and will he keep an eye on the matter?
§ Mr. MarplesMy hon. Friend is not satisfied with the progress of derequisitioning, but he will not be announcing any further action until he has considered this Second Report of the Working Party.
§ Mrs. BraddockWill the Parliamentary Secretary give instructions to local authorities that before they ask for derequisitioning they should make certain that the tenants are offered alternative accommodation suitable to them rather than accommodation which the local authority desires to put them into?
§ Mr. MarplesI will convey that to my right hon. Friend, but there is no point in derequisitioning houses without having regard to the people living in them, and it is the duty of the local authorities, perhaps, to pay slightly more attention to the rehousing of the people in derequisitioned properties in the future than they have in the past.
§ Mr. LewisIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that most of these requisitioned houses are in blitzed towns and cities and that it is very difficult for such borough councils to find satisfactory accommodation? Will the hon. Gentleman see that no pressure is put upon the authorities to derequisition if they have no satisfactory accommodation available?
§ Mr. MarplesIt may be difficult, but, in all equity, some sort of effort must be made.