HC Deb 16 December 1969 vol 793 cc1124-5
44. Mr. William Price

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will estimate the number of local authorities which have stopped building council houses.

Mr. Freeson

On 30th September, 1969, 452 local housing authorities had no houses under construction compared with 404 a year earlier.

Mr. Price

What action can my hon. Friend's Department take against local authorities whose actions are obviously based on an ideological hatred of council house tenants?

Mr. Freeson

I have embarked upon a series of visits in London and outside which will continue for some weeks in an endeavour to persuade local authorities which are flagging in house building to build up their programmes in addition to work to be done under the 1969 Act.

Mr. Lubbock

Would the hon. Gentleman place in the Library copies of the replies which local authorities sent to the Minister of Housing and Local Government in response to his recent letter asking them to review the factors which had led to a decline in their house building?

Mr. Freeson

We will consider that, but further information would have to be considered if we were to do that, because the dialogue will be continuing for some time. It may be useful to place in the Library a record of the whole range of information, but I cannot promise to do so.

Mr. Peter Walker

The Opposition moved an Amendment to the 1969 Bill to the effect that the improvement should be in addition to the already recommended programme. Can the hon. Gentleman explain why the Government rejected that Amendment on the basis that it was part of the previous investment programme?

Mr. Freeson

I should have to check HANSARD, but it would have been a pointless Amendment. We do not need to put in the Housing Act, 1969, a provision saying, "Please carry on building new homes, too". They should do both. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman makes it his duty to go round Conservative councils encouraging them to do that.