HC Deb 17 February 1971 vol 811 cc1824-5
27. Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give new directions to local authorities advising them to disregard the recommendations regarding the keeping of five-year lists of properties which may be compulsorily purchased, contained in Circular 54/55 relating to Part III of the Housing Act, 1957.

Mr. Channon

No, Sir. The advice contained in that circular sought to ensure that intending house purchasers were aware of any proposed slum clearance action of the council likely to affect the property they were interested in. I think that information of this nature is just as necessary in 1971 as in 1955.

Mrs. Oppenheim

Is my hon. Friend aware that such lists have resulted in considerable hardship to owners, far outweighing any consideration of the protection of prospective purchase, and that very often the first time that owners know that their property is on such a list is when its sale is being negotiated? Will he direct local authorities to curtail these lists as far as possible?

Mr. Channon

As my hon. Friend knows, on a number of occasions local authorities have been urged to give sympathetic consideration to buying in advance from owner-occupiers who have good reason for selling and who would suffer hardship from inability to do so. I should like to consider what she said, but I am advised that her suggestion would cause more hardship than it relieved.

Mr. Kaufman

will the hon. Gentleman ask his right hon. Friend to link the review of compulsory purchase law with a review of planning blight, as there are many constituents of mine in the Chorlton-on-Medlock area of Manchester who are suffering grave inconvenience, not only from necessary building operations which are taking place next door to where they live, but also because they fear that because of planning blight they will not be able to sell their homes for satisfactory sums and will have to accept a knock-down price from the council on compulsory purchase?

Mr. Channon

I note what the hon. Gentleman says. It is not necessary to draw my right hon. Friend's attention to that suggestion, for the review for which the hon. Gentleman asks is already taking place.