HC Deb 14 June 1972 vol 838 cc1504-5
30. Mr. Well beloved

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to encourage London boroughs which have declined to support the London Housing Office to reconsider their decision.

Mr. Amery

Under the Housing Finance Bill the provisional assessment of fair rent is the responsibility of each housing authority.

Mr. Well beloved

I do not think the right hon. Gentleman answered the right Question. What my Question has to do with the Housing Finance Bill, I am not certain. As the right hon. Gentleman did not answer my Question, perhaps he will answer my supplementary question. Will he note that it is the Conservative-controlled London boroughs which are declining to assist in dealing adequately with the terrible housing problem faced by the Inner London Council? Will he publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those Tory local authorities which have failed to co-operate, and will he take strenuous action to encourage them to deal with the problem rather than fiddle-faddle around with his fancy gimmicks of selling council houses?

Mr. Amery

I apologise to the hon. Gentleman if inadvertently I answered his Question incorrectly. The London Housin Office, which is sponsored by the London Boroughs Association, is still in a formative state, but if it develops into an organisation which can help to solve the London housing problem I have little doubt that it will be supported by all the authorities concerned. It has been set up by the Association as an independent venture. I have not been consulted and therefore it is not appropriate at this stage that I should intervene in the matter.

Mr. Clinton Davis

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that most Conservatives within London have dogmatically refused to support the concept and have evinced the most considerable hostility towards it? Will not he take action to ensure that at least they respond positively for once on this very important issue?

Mr. Amery

As I have already said, I have not been officially consulted about the matter by the London Boroughs Association, and therefore the question has not yet arisen.