§ 22. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek powers to amend the standard grant procedure to enable tenants on council housing estates to be provided with bathrooms.
§ Mr. MacCollUnder the existing standard grant procedure local authorities already receive Exchequer contributions towards installing the basic amenities, including a bath in a bathroom, in any of their older houses which lack them.
§ Mrs. ButlerWill my hon. Friend have discussions with local authorities to see whether more effective use can be made of these procedures so that council tenants, such as those on the Greater London Council White Hart Lane Estate, may be provided with baths before they are too senile to use them?
§ Mr. MacCollI am sure that the result of my right hon. Friend's White Paper will be to make all local authorities consider their programmes for improving older houses. On the general problem, although I do not want to criticise the Greater London Council's priorities in this matter, I agree that local authorities should give the lead in the way in which they modernise their properties.