HC Deb 28 June 1972 vol 839 cc1440-1
42. Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to strengthen the legal powers that local authorities have to enforce housing improvements and disrepair notices.

Mr. Eyre

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend has no evidence that the existing powers are inadequate.

Mr. Cox

Surely the Minister is aware of the long and complicated procedures that local authorities have to face in seeking court orders for houses in disrepair? Is it not possible for the Minister to introduce legislation imposing on landlords a time limit within which the work must be done, failing which the local authority should be able to do it? Will the Minister bear in mind that it is the tenant, not the landlord, who suffers from having to live in a house which the landlord will not repair?

Mr. Eyre

Local authorities have power to serve notices and to carry out the statutory procedures, and it is for local authorities to act in the interests of their local tenants.

Mr. Freeson

There are powers in the hands of local authorities, but will the Minister accept that some areas of our cities have special problems of disrepair and sub-standard conditions which local authorities are finding great difficulty in tackling? Will he consider the introduction of the special control area arrangements that were first mooted by the Milner Holland Report some years ago?

Mr. Eyre

The hon. Gentleman is right in saying that there are urban areas which have special problems, but the Secretary of State has not received representations from local authority associations about difficulties. In the event that representations were made, my right hon. Friend would, of course, carefully consider them.