§ 5. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what advice he has given the Cardiff City Council concerning compensation for householders who are obliged to continue paying off their mortgages to the Corporation after their houses have been demolished under a clearance order.
§ Sir K. JosephNone, Sir. The matter was mentioned to me when I visited Cardiff on 23rd November, 1962, and I suggested to the Council that it should write to me; I have not yet heard from it.
§ Mr. ThomasWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to consider amending the Housing Act, 1957, with a view to providing more adequate compensation for people who purchased their houses after December, 1955, without knowing that they were in a clearance area and who are likely to suffer, whether they have corporation or private mortgages?
§ Sir K. JosephI know the importance of this question to the hon. Member's constituency, but he will know that there is to be an inquiry about some of the houses concerned and that no decision has yet been taken about those houses. I understand that representations have been made, unsuccessfully, to the Association of Municipal Corporations asking the same questions as the hon. Gentleman has asked, and that shows that this is not a widespread problem.
§ Mr. ThomasIn view of the hardship, which the right hon. Gentleman acknow- 550 ledges, caused to people who have bought their houses outright or on private mortgages or on local authority mortgages, will he consider ways and means of relieving that hardship?
§ Sir K. JosephI have invited the Council to write to me about this and I shall be glad to try to oblige it if it does write to me.