HC Deb 07 December 1954 vol 535 cc763-4
26. Air Commodore Harvey

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the property at Blackheath belonging to Mr. Davenport, of 20, Hazelbadge Road, Poynton, Cheshire, which was requisitioned in 1941, will be returned to its owners.

39. Colonel Gomme-Duncan

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when the house in Lewisham belonging to Mr. R. Fothergill, of 46, Kingswell Terrace, Perth, requisitioned in 1946, will be returned to its owner who is suffering considerable hardship.

Mr. Sandys

I regret that I am not in a position to say when these two properties will be released.

Air Commodore Harvey

Will my right hon. Friend have another look at this matter? Is he aware that this house has been requisitioned for nearly 14 years and that my constituent has the house on mortgage and is actually losing money on it, apart from being unable to live in it? Will my right hon. Friend reconsider the matter at a very early date?

Mr. Sandys

I am well aware that there are many cases of hardship. I am at the moment considering the whole problem with a view to introducing legislation, as foreshadowed in the Gracious Speech.

27. Mr. Burke

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will send a circular to local authorities requiring them to provide suitable alternative accommodation for persons who, as a result of his Department's direction of November, 1952, are now under notice to quit the requisitioned premises to which they were sent during the war.

Mr. Sandys

Local authorities normally satisfy themselves that occupants of houses which are being derequisitioned have alternative accommodation to which to go. If the hon. Member knows of cases of special difficulty, perhaps he will be good enough to send me particulars so that I can look into them.

Mr. Burke

Is the Minister aware that some of these people were moved into requisitioned houses to do war work when the war started and that some local authorities will not consider them for housing accommodation because they were not on the list in 1939?

Mr. Sandys

In Burnley?

Mr. Burke

Constituents of Burnley who have gone to other places.