HC Deb 14 July 1970 vol 803 cc1356-7
29. Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will extend his policy of selling off subsidised council houses to sitting tenants to those persons who are in subsidised Government houses and flats.

Mr. Peter Walker

Government accommodation is provided for people carrying out a particular job and, therefore, normally cannot be sold to a sitting tenant. This does not preclude in appropriate circumstances the sale of a redundant dwelling to a sitting tenant.

Mr. Lewis

If such dwellings are good enough to sell to poorer tenants in poorer areas, why not allow them to be sold to richer tenants in and around Whitehall?

Mr. Walker

We believe that they will have sufficiently long leases on these premises not to be interested in the freeholds.