HC Deb 20 October 1953 vol 518 cc1785-6
16. Mr. Lewis

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the difficulties being experienced by many persons in need of alternative housing accommodation in getting on to their local council's housing lists due to the wide variance in the method of awarding points, etc.; and whether he will recommend some suitable national scheme of points allocation.

Mr. H. Macmillan

No, Sir. My Central Housing Advisory Committee in their "Selection of Tenants" Report considered the adoption of a uniform method of selection by all housing authorities to be impracticable. I agree with them.

Mr. Lewis

Is not the Minister aware that there are many instances where some of the local authorities say that the applicant must have been residing in the area in 1939, some others say that they must have been resident in the area for a considerable time, while some others say they must have been resident for three years? Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that there are thousands of people who cannot get on to any housing list at all, and should not something be done to help these people to get on to at least one housing list to enable them to get some accommodation?

Mr. Macmillan

I think the best way of grappling with this problem is to build more houses. With regard to the actual problem, we think that the best way to enforce a uniform system of housing is to allow the authority to settle it themselves. This matter was referred by my predecessor in 1949 to a very valuable body, the Central Housing Advisory Committee, which stated, in its well-argued and, I think, convincing Report, that it was against any attempt to enforce uniformity.

Mr. Lewis

If the Minister will not agree to advise the authorities concerned, will he not try to do something to see that these people can be accepted on at least one housing list? Is he not aware, from cases which I and other hon. Members have sent him, that there are literally hundreds of cases where families cannot get on to any housing list at all? Surely, something should be done to help this kind of case?

Mr. Macmillan

We are doing all we can, but I still say that progress in housing is the best way in which we can help.