§ 1. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the fact that local authorities have not developed adequate housing programmes and in view of the lack of overall planning in private housing, he will introduce legislation to set up a national housing corporation with overall responsibility for public and private housing and to determine public and private housing targets for local authorities.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Reginald Freeson)There is a good case to be examined for setting up a national housing development agency, but the important thing for the present is for local authorities to be urged to maintain their programmes.
§ Mr. RobertsDoes not my hon. Friend agree, however, that housing, as a national problem, requires a national solution and that the attitude of some of the Tory-controlled local authorities is one of trying to sabotage the Government's efforts in this field? Does he not agree that it is high time that the Government got 178 tough with some of these slow housing authorities?
§ Mr. FreesonI agree that there has been a lamentable cutting back of the housing programme by some local authorities in recent times, and this is a matter which my right hon. Friend may be pursuing with local authorities. The question of a housing agency, such as my hon. Friend suggests, is one which we can consider further.