§ 13. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the appointment of an inter-departmental committee of inquiry to consider the facilities offered by local authorities to homeless families under Part III of the National Assistance Act.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 11th February by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal on behalf of the Prime Minister.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonArising from that reply, is not the Minister aware that a very serious position now exists, as a a number of local authorities are not, in fact, carrying out their duties under the Act at all, with the result that those authorities that do try to comply with the Act have a much heavier task than they otherwise would?
Is the Minister also aware that a number of local authorities provide for communal sleeping for wives and children to the exclusion of husband, with the result that an increasing number of families are being broken up by that process; and that, in some cases, the children are becoming a charge on public funds because the family is disunited? Surely he could be a little more forthcoming.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThis matter is under consideration by the Ministers concerned, and what the hon. Gentleman says will certainly be borne in mind in that consideration.