HC Deb 14 November 1966 vol 736 cc9-10
14. Mr. Brewis

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources to what extent the Forestry Commission provides housing for its retired employees.

15. Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources how many Forestry Commission employees have been asked to leave their houses on retirement in the last three years.

Mr. Skeffington

The Forestry Commission does not provide houses for retired employees. Where houses are not required for its employees, the Forestry Commission allows its retired employees to remain, as long as possible, to give them reasonable time to find other accommodation.

During the last three years, a total of 116 employees have been asked, on retirement, to leave houses which were required for other employees. They have all been given reasonable time in which to find alternative accommodation.

Mr. Brewis

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that private landlords always provide houses for their retired workers? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Why should the State as a landlord be a worse landlord than the private owner?

Mr. Skeffington

As the hon. Gentleman will, perhaps, have gathered, I am not entirely satisfied of the 100 per cent. accuracy of his first observation. The Forestry Commission is extremely careful not to create hardship. It allows ex-employees to remain as long as possible. I think that its record in this matter has been quite good. If the hon. Gentleman has any example which proves the contrary, I shall be very glad to investigate it. The Commission has to carry on its business, of course, as any other producer in this field.

Mr. Digby

But is it not hardship to ask people on retirement to go and live 20 or 30 miles away? Is it desirable that these small forest communities should have all the retired people turned out and that there should be no retired people living in the forest villages?

Mr. Skeffington

If that were the case, it might indeed be hardship, but, as I said, the Forestry Commission has a very good record in this matter. There are at present about 170 Forestry Commission houses let to retired employees and about 51 widows or dependants of ex-employees of the Commission are now in houses which were provided by the Forestry Commission. The hon. Gentleman knows quite well what the purpose of the Forestry Commission is. Like any other similar landlord, it has to provide accommodation for those who are now currently doing its work, but, in the light of this major obligation, it tries to make accommodation available and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Answers are becoming a little long.

Mr. Manuel

Is it not the fact that, where we have these tied or semi-tied houses, the usual solution has been for the local authority in the area to build houses in the locality to meet the need?

Mr. Skeffington

This is so, and the Forestry Commission is in touch with the local authorities in all the areas concerned.