HC Deb 03 May 1972 vol 836 cc363-5
5. Mr. Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have now indicated that they are opposed to the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill; and how many have indicated their intention not to implement the Bill.

Mr. Younger

Eighteen local authorities have indicated to my right hon. Friend their disagreement with some of the main provisions in the Bill. On the question of implementation, any expressions of intent at this stage must be speculative.

Mr. Ewing

I take it that the 18 were previous to yesterday and not after yesterday's local election results. Will the hon. Gentleman, as the Minister responsible for piloting the Bill through its Committee stage, now adopt the honourable course by offering his resignation to the Secretary of State for Scotland in view of the fact that he has failed to convice the people of Scotland of the worth of this Bill, despite issuing a Press statement to all local papers last week which appeared in the form of a contributed article and was a gross misuse of Government stationery, time and expenditure?

Mr. Younger

I do not pretend to understand the tortuous details of the hon. Gentleman's question, which I have no doubt he worked out carefully. I should be surprised if many people yesterday voted against introducing rent allowances for the first time to people in privately rented property and whether many people voted against reducing the burden of housing on the rates by more than half.

Mr. Brewis

In the event of a local authority refusing to implement the legislation, will not this mean that many poor families who otherwise would have been entitled to rebates will not be able to have them.

Mr. Younger

My hon. Friend is quite correct. If that were to happen, that would be the result. But I do not think it likely that local authorities will decide to break the law of the land.

Mr. Strang

Surely the hon. Gentleman is now aware of the deep-seated resentment throughout the length and breadth of Scotland about this Bill. Does he intend to use his English majority to impose this socially vindictive legislation on the people of Scotland?

Mr. Younger

Here again, I very much doubt whether people in Scotland object to the new slum clearance subsidy, which is the most generous there has ever been in a housing Bill in Scotland. What is more, I doubt whether many people in Glasgow will object to having their help for housing increased from £6 million to £10 million in the next two years.

14. Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has estimated the number of commissioners he will require to operate the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill.

Mr. Younger

None, Sir. The Bill does not provide for commissioners.

Mr. Strang

That is true, but is the Under-Secretary determined to provoke a confrontation with elected local authorities in Scotland on the two basic issues in the Bill, the effect on rents and the abominable rebates scheme? Would it not be more statesmanlike to go back to the local authorities with an open mind and reconsider these matters?

Mr. Younger

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for acknowledging that the first part of my answer is correct. Regarding the second part, the last thing I would want to do is to provoke a confrontation with anyone. [An HON. MEMBER: "Why not?"] As the hon. Gentleman very wells knows, the Government are providing in the new Bill that more money will be spent in supporting local authorities in their housing problems. I believe they will come to welcome this and that it will be of benefit to everyone, particularly those who qualify for rebates, to which the hon. Gentleman referred.

Mr. John Smith

The hon. Gentleman had a confrontation with the electorate yesterday, when the electorate very clearly expressed a view. The hon. Gentleman said earlier when dealing with the Bill that he did not believe the electorate were voting against the Government's policy. In his opinion, what was the source of dissatisfaction that was so clearly expressed yesterday?

Mr. Younger

What I said earlier was that I should be very surprised indeed if the electors were voting against such things as the slum clearance subsidy, and so on. No doubt the hon. Gentleman will study yesterday's figures closely. He may be interested to know that the percentage poll for the Labour Party yesterday fell by 2.5 per cent. over last year.