§ 8. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will circularise local authorities recommending that in the case of particularly distressing cases of mothers suffering from mental and nervous breakdown promoted by overcrowding they should establish joint committees with adjacent authorities in order to deal with these cases according to their urgent medical need and not according to their residence.
§ Mr. SandysI have great sympathy with those suffering from the evils of overcrowding and I am taking active steps to help local authorities in the large cities in tackling the problem of urban congestion.
§ Mr. SorensenThat is a general reply to a quite specific question dealing with a small but very distressing type of housing case. Would not the Minister, therefore, consider the proposal, which is implicit in my Question, that where there is an unusual chronic case which may lead to the mental breakdown of the person involved, he should recommend that the borough concerned should get in touch with neighbouring boroughs to see whether they have accommodation for that particular kind of case?
§ Mr. SandysI have as much sympathy as has the hon. Member in connection with this problem, but I think that local authorities can be relied upon to cooperate with one another to relieve cases of special hardship, and I must be a little careful not to overload them with advice.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes not the Minister sometimes make recommendations to local authorities?