§ 11. Mr. Abseasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the difficulties in many small fully occupied properties lacking bathrooms and a hot water system of installing both these amenities, whether he will cease to make it a condition for a standard grant for a hot water supply that a bathroom, in addition, be installed.
§ Sir K. JosephStandard grants are intended to help owners to bring sound houses up to a desirable degree of convenience and comfort and I am concerned that this objective should be achieved wherever possible. I do, however, recognise that there may be cases 783 where it would be impracticable to attain the full standard and where it would be reasonable to relax the existing grant provisions. This would involve legislation. I am considering what might be done about this.
§ Mr. AbseI thank the Minister for that reply, but may I ask whether he will continue to bear in mind that in South Wales and parts of Lancashire there are large numbers of houses which are too small to have bathrooms installed and where the woman with a young family is unfortunately barred from having a hot water supply because of the existing regulations?
§ Sir K. JosephYes, Sir, but I cannot hold out any hope of allowing grants just for a hot water system if there is no bath, hand-basin or sink for it to serve; but I take the hon. Gentleman's point.