HC Deb 05 November 1973 vol 863 cc595-6
10. Mrs. Joyce Butler

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunica- tions if he will give a general direction to the Post Office to utilise for residential purposes all residential property which it holds or to make arrangements for the appropriate local authority to do so.

Sir J. Eden

No, Sir. A direction would not be appropriate as the circumstances of each case need to be considered on their merits.

Mrs. Butler

Will the Minister at least ascertain how many houses of this kind the Post Office holds in the London area similar to those in Dowsett Road, Tottenham, in my constituency which have been left empty and boarded up with unsightly corrugated iron for the past two years in an area of acute housing shortage? Will he also discuss with the Post Office whether means can be found of keeping local residents informed about its intentions in cases of this kind, because local people are very worried?

Sir J. Eden

I understand the point the Lady is making. Since her Question appeared on the Order Paper I have been making further inquiries into the general approach by the Post Office in the matter and I hope shortly to be able to give her some information on its policy in this area. The point about the Dowsett Road situation is that some of the houses were empty before the Post Office acquired them.