Central Housing Advisory Committee (Hansard, 8 March 1972)

§ 12. Mr. Costain
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make a statement on the future of the Central Housing Advisory Committee.

§ The Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr. Julian Amery)
The com- 1428 mittee discussed its functions and future work on 26th April, 1971. It was agreed then that future meetings would be called as necessary to deal with specific housing matters as they arose.

§ Mr. Costain
Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that the greatest housing problems arise from the non-availability of land? There are many eminent men on the committee, and does not my right hon. Friend think that they could be used more profitably if the Committee were given the task of finding more land for house building?

§ Mr. Amery
This is one of the issues which could be usefully discussed by the committee. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his suggestion.

§ Mr. Freeson
Why has the Minister, in chairing the committee, persuaded it to meet as and when necessary instead of at regular intervals, I think from four to six times a year, as it has done until now?

§ Mr. Amery
I find the committee extremely helpful to me as a sounding board and for the discussion of problems such as the fair deal on rents and the report of the Francis Committee. I am anxious to have the committee available to discuss these issues as they arise. My hon. Friend's suggestion that the committee might have a contribution to make on land availability is one which I propose to pursue.