§ 14. Mr. Gibsonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses in Wandsworth he has authorised the Wandsworth Borough Council to purchase during this year; whether, in view of the fact that there are 2,000 families living in requisitioned houses in Wandsworth and that most of the owners of these houses have refused to take the families as statutory tenants, he will urge the borough council to speed up the acquisition of sufficient houses in order to avoid difficulties for those tenants when requisitioning powers end.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe council has been informed that in my opinion it will need to purchase 700 to 750 properties in order to help complete the task of derequisitioning by 31st March, 1960. I have for some time been urging the council to press on with this task.
§ Mr. GibsonWhile I am obliged to the Minister for his very frank statement, may I ask him whether he will press the local authority all he can to carry out the suggestion which he has made, because the situation is getting very difficult in the Borough of Wandsworth? The Minister has not replied to the first part of the Question. Have any authorisations been allowed this year to the Wandsworth Borough Council?
§ Mr. BrookeI said that I had recognised that the council had a need to purchase 700 to 750. I believe that it is in process of acquiring a small number, but on my information I should think that it was not enough. I intend to continue to watch the position carefully.