§ 22. Brigadier Prior-Palmerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what has been the result of his circular to local authorities about the allocation of council houses to Regular ex-Service men.
§ Mr. SandysIn a circular issued in March, 1955, I recommended local authorities to relax residential qualifications for Regular ex-Service men who apply for council houses. About 1,330 housing authorities have informed me that they have adopted this policy. In addition, about a hundred authorities have agreed, subject to certain qualifications. Only thirty have sent me wholly negative answers. I am glad to say that my Department is now receiving very few complaints on this subject.
§ Brigadier Prior-PalmerA very satisfactory Answer. Would my right hon. Friend consider some other method of bringing pressure to bear on those thirty recalcitrant authorities whose sympathy, apparently, for those people who fight for their country does not appear to be as acute as that of other authorities?
§ Mr. SandysI have that in mind.