HC Deb 29 March 1972 vol 834 cc419-20
24. Mr. Barnes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following his review of the compensation code, he will introduce legislation to amend Section 63(2) of the Housing Act, 1957, so that compensation can be paid to traders left behind in areas depopulated by redevelopment schemes as distinct from slum clearance schemes.

Mr. Graham Page

We are looking at the problems of small businesses affected by new public works in our review.

Mr. Barnes

Would the Minister agree that this distinction in favour of those affected by slum clearance schemes as against those affected by redevelopment schemes really has very little meaning, and will he not agree that he has to justify this distinction in the context of the kind of redevelopment taking place at Brentford?

Mr. Page

Yes, particularly in the area of Brentford I realise the position, but it has an historical meaning and we are considering whether it still has a modern meaning as well.

Mr. John Silkin

I wonder whether the Minister might do something to speed things up. It is now 18 months since this whole question came up for review by the present Government. The Labour Government had already issued a report. Although the Secretary of State did not like it, we had got the report out.

Mr. Page

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that we have made use of that report and have studied it further in more depth. I am hoping for a report from the Urban Motorways Committee shortly so that it may be combined with our review of compensation.

Mr. Lipton

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind the sad plight of owner-occupiers who are being offered derisory amounts by way of compensation in slum clearance areas, whereas their outstanding mortgages often amount to three or four times the amounts offered them?

Mr. Page

I do not think I shall be letting out any secret when I say that our provisions will deal with relief for people of that sort.