§ 41. Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further discussions have taken place between his Department and local authorities aimed at securing land in outer London to relieve housing pressure in inner London; and what progress has been recorded.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Paul Channon)My Department is in continuous touch with all London boroughs about their housing programmes. The Action Group on London Housing has initiated a survey of all London boroughs to identify potential housing sites and to indicate when and by whom they might be developed. Preliminary results of this survey are now being received.
§ Mr. GrantIs it not rather odd that the Minister for Housing and Construction is prepared, in effect, to send a gunboat to deal with those local authorities which do not want to make a profit out of their council house tenants while on the vital question of land shortage in inner London he is not prepared to use more than a feather duster on his Tory friends in the London boroughs which have the necessary sites? When will we get action?
§ Mr. ChannonI accept neither of the implications of the hon. Member's remarks. I need not go into the merits of the Housing Finance Bill this afternoon, but on the question of land in London I am sure the hon. Member will be pleased to know that I have every reason to expect local authority and private approvals this year to be better than last year.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergWould my hon. Friend agree that some progress might be made by the inner London boroughs if they decided to co-operate in the rehabilitation schemes and not say bluntly that they are not prepared to co-operate, like the London Borough of Camden?
§ Mr. ChannonI hope all London boroughs will co-operate with the improvement campaign which is shortly to be held and which will be the largest in any city in the world. It can make an enormous difference to the condition of many sub-standard houses in London.