§ 18. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is 19 aware that many families are being split up and children parted from their parents in Oxfordshire and elsewhere, in consequence of the evictions of tenants mainly from rented houses and tied cottages, and that in one district a child care officer has reported that about one-third of the children received into care were from families made homeless by evictions; and what administrative steps he proposes to take to relieve the hardship caused to these families.
§ Mr. BrookeMy right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I have already advised all welfare and housing authorities, in a circular issued in 1959, about the arrangements which should be made to avoid or mitigate hardship to homeless families and so far as possible to keep the family together. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the circular.
I understand that a county conference was recently convened by the Oxfordshire County Council to review existing arrangements in the county, and that a further conference is expected to take place shortly.
§ Sir B. JannerIn view of this very serious dislocation of family life—it is a serious matter—will the Minister tell the House whether he is prepared to do something about the revision of the Rent Act so that people may be protected from this kind of unhappy result for their families?
§ Mr. BrookeThere are later Questions on the Order Paper about the Rent Act, but there are continuing difficulties which arise from eviction cases, most frequently of all through tenants having run up arrears of rent. In the case of Oxfordshire, I understand that the county council has made certain suggestions which the housing authorities are considering, but I do not believe there is any connection whatever between this Oxfordshire matter and the Rent Act.