53. Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Minister of Supply why he has informed the tenants of his Department's estate in Liverpool, 11, that cooking equipment and washboilers are to be withdrawn from the houses if they are not purchased by the residents by a certain date; and whether, in view of the new restrictions on hire-purchase of such equipment, he will now reverse this decision and enable tenants of the estate to continue to use this equipment on the same basis as they have been able to hitherto.
§ The Minister of Supply (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)Washboilers, electric kettles and similar equipment were provided in Ministry of Supply houses built during the war because at that time the tenants could not easily have bought them for themselves. This kind of equipment is not provided in the newer houses, and I do not feel justified in continuing to spend public money on maintaining or, where necessary, replacing it in the older houses. No cooking equipment is being offered for sale or withdrawn on the Ministry's estate in Liverpool, 11. Tenants have been given the opportunity of buying the other articles at very low prices which can be paid by instalments.
Mr. WilsonWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman say why he has chosen this moment of time, nearly 10 years after the end of the war, to institute this change as regards the tenants of this estate who have been enjoying the use of this equipment?
§ Mr. LloydSimply for administrative reasons. The problem of keeping them in repair and of replacement is becoming quite a considerable one. These tenants have not had these items taken into account in their rents up to now, and they are being offered them at very low prices.