6. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what proposals he has further to encourage landlords and owner occupiers to take advantage of improvement grants to add modern amenities to their property.
§ Mr. H. BrookeMy proposals are contained in the House Purchase and Housing Bill now before Parliament. The provisions will be widely publicised as soon as the Bill becomes law.
Mrs. SlaterHas the Minister any special way in which he is proposing to publicise this? Is it not true, if we check the figures, that of about 4 million houses in the country which are structurally sound only about 3¾ per cent. have been modernised since 1949? Would not this enable a tremendous saving to be made in house building?
§ Mr. BrookeIt is certainly the object of the Government's Bill to speed up modernisation in those circumstances, and in that I thoroughly agree with the hon. Lady. As soon as the Bill becomes law, I intend to make available a free leaflet about its provisions, to publish an 1071 illustrated booklet and to co-operate in several demonstrations which are being arranged by local authorities.
7. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many owner-occupiers and how many landlords in Stoke-on-Trent have taken advantage of improvements grants in 1957 and 1958 to bring their property up to modern standards.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe total numbers of houses improved with grant in Stoke-on-Trent during 1957 and 1958 were 235 and 222, respectively. The information furnished to me by the council does not distinguish between grants made to owner-occupiers and to landlords.
Mrs. SlaterI am sorry that the Minister has not had details from the local authority. Is it not true that of all the landlord-owned houses in the city only 65 have applied for grants since 1949 and that in the case of owner-occupiers over 1,200 have done so? Does not that seem to prove that something needs to be done to get landlord-owned property brought up to modern amenities, which again would save the unnecessary building of new houses?
§ Mr. BrookeThe hon. Lady appears to be asking me for information which she already has. However, I thoroughly agree with the purpose behind her question.