HC Deb 25 October 1960 vol 627 cc2133-5
21. Mr. Lipton

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will appoint a special committee to investigate and report on the housing problem in London.

Mr. H. Brooke

No, Sir.

Mr. Lipton

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that for a very large number of Londoners he has aggravated the housing problem into what is now a heartbreaking scandal? Why is he reluctant to discover and publish the real facts of the present very tragic situation, for it is a very tragic situation for very many people in London?

Mr. Brooke

I am very anxious to handle these matters aright, but I cannot see that any purpose would be served by appointing a special committee at this stage.

Mr. M. Stewart

Does the right hon. Gentleman remember that one of the pieces of advice that he gave to people in these difficulties was that they should move out of London, and that many of us feel that he could not have given that advice if he was aware of the circumstances of many of the tenants? Possibly a committee to make him better informed about the matter might be useful.

Mr. Brooke

I think I am probably as fully informed as anybody is about the situation in London. It is perfectly true that some tenants are not in a position to move out of London and ought not to be pressed to do so. On the other hand, there are others who have been living in the centre of London at low rents who could have moved out and thus provided further accommodation in Central London for the people who are working there now but are having to travel long distances.

Mr. Mellish

Does not this policy amount to the fact that people were told to move out of the centre of London, but they have to come back for work and now we get more congestion on the roads and more root causes of unhappiness? Why should not we have an inquiry and let the whole world know? Why should not we have an independent inquiry and find out what is the position?

Hon. Members

Answer.

Mr. Brooke

There is nothing further that an independent inquiry at this stage could reveal.

Mr. Mellish

Why not?

Mr. Brooke

Because all the facts that are relevant are sufficiently known already.

Mr. Manuel

To whom?

Mr. Brooke

These are policy questions which have to be decided.

Mr. Mellish

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. What can a back bench Member do in a case of this kind, when the Minister is refusing an inquiry and when he says that all the facts are known, and when in fact only recently the same Minister appealed to Members of Parliament to give him more information?

Mr. Speaker

It would be necessary for me to have more information in order to discover how that is a point of order.

Mr. Lipton

In view of the completely unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.