§ 35. Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the housing shortage in central London and the expanding office building programme, he will consider taking steps to encourage, by grant or otherwise, the conversion and return to residential use of houses in the Metropolitan boroughs which are now occupied by office users.
§ Mr. SandysUnder the Housing Acts, grants are available to local authorities and property-owners to assist them in converting suitable buildings into flats.
§ Mrs. JegerIs the Minister aware that there seems to be some lack of understanding among owners of houses which are now rated as offices as to their eligibility for improvement grants, and will he try and make their position a little clearer?
§ Mr. SandysThe hon. Lady will realise that I have no powers to compel people to change the use to which they put their buildings.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonAs the right hon. Gentleman is asked to encourage these local authorities, may I ask if he is aware 1040 that the conversion of some of these office properties in the centre of London would make a real contribution towards solving the housing problem, which there is no chance whatever of solving at the present moment?
§ Mr. SandysSo far as encouraging the local authorities is concerned, I would say that they have been encouraged in every possible way by circulars and other means to make use of these grants which are available, but local authorities do not possess large blocks of offices which they can convert into houses.