§ 13. Mr. Prenticeasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what reasons led him to refuse confirmation of the compulsory purchase order made by the East Ham Borough Council on No. 59 Shakespeare Crescent, E.12.
§ Sir K. JosephThe council failed to persuade me that the rent asked was exorbitant.
§ Mr. PrenticeIs it still the Minister's policy to encourage local authorities to use compulsory purchase where people are liable to be rendered homeless because of exorbitant rents? If so, why does he not apply this principle to a case in which a man earning just over £11 a week is asked to pay £6 16s. rent for a small terraced house about 60 years old?
§ Sir K. JosephIn answer to the first part of that question, I am certainly anxious that local authorities should use the procedure when homelessness is threatened as a result of exorbitant rents. The facts mentioned by the hon. Member do not exactly correspond with the facts which I have been given.
§ Mr. M StewartCan the Minister indicate what he regards as an exorbitant rent? We have had so many instances of his refusing compulsory purchase orders that it is difficult to know whether he regards any rent as exorbitant.
§ Sir K. JosephThe hon. Member is normally extremely accurate in what he says, but there have been only just about as many refusals as there have been approvals. Most of the compulsory purchase orders that have been made have been withdrawn by the local authorities on their own initiative.
§ Mr. StewartThe Minister has not answered my question. Can he give some idea of what he regards as an exorbitant rent?
§ Sir K. JosephNo. My predecessors and I have always judged each case on its merits.