§ 41. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in finding a more satisfactory arrangement for ensuring housing accommodation for ex-Service men and their families on completion of long service in the Armed Forces.
§ 53. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the difficulty of many ex-Service men and their families in obtaining housing accommodation especially in country districts in spite of the co-operation of local councils; whether he will give an estimate of the number of such families without adequate accommodation at the present time; and whether he will again consult county councils to see what further schemes can be set on foot whereby such men could apply to them for special treatment.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Duncan Sandys)In a circular last March, I recommended local authorities to relax residential qualifications for Regular ex-Service men, who applied for houses. The results are encouraging. Almost all the local authorities have now replied: 1,302 councils 187 have stated that either they are already applying the principles I recommended or have now decided to do so in future; 36 authorities have given unsatisfactory replies; 107 have given partially satisfactory replies; seven are in course of reconsidering their practice.
§ Mr. DoddsIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware of the widespread hardship caused to long-service men and their families because of their housing problems when they return to civilian life? Does he believe that we shall get rid of wasteful National Service purely by putting up the rates of pay if this fear of being without a home after twenty years' service in Her Majesty's Forces is allowed to remain?
§ Mr. SandysI have said on several occasions that I fully share this anxiety and the feeling that these people are being unfairly treated. That is why I took up the matter most vigorously with local authorities. The results which I have announced today are, as I think the House will agree, most encouraging.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley - DavenportWould my right hon. Friend—
§ Brigadier Prior-Palmerrose—
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport:Sit down. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Would my right hon. Friend do all he can—
§ Mr. W. R. WilliamsOn a point of order. Is it in order for a lieut.-colonel to give orders to a brigadier?
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-DavenportWould my right hon. Friend do all he can to encourage these priorities, because not to do so would be a great deterrent to recruiting?
§ Mr. SandysI am following up all the replies which are not fully satisfactory.
§ Mr. MitchisonHas the right hon. Gentleman made any estimate of the increase in the hardship to ex-Service men to which his cuts in housing subsidies will give rise?