HC Deb 16 March 1984 vol 56 cc607-8 9.35 am
Mr. Alfred Morris (Manchester, Wythenshawe)

I rise to present a petition, Mr. Speaker, from the tenants of the Greater London council's seaside and country homes scheme for retired Londoners who now live in Avon, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Shropshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Sussex and Wiltshire.

The petition has many thousands of signatures. It is about the future of a scheme which, instead of being threatened, deserves to be strongly commended for its humane concern to help those in special need. At the request of the GLC's elderly tenants in 17 counties outside London, I present a petition which reflects the deep anxieties of those tenants, and especially their alarm that the seaside and country homes scheme will cease to exist if the GLC is abolished. The effect of that would be to inflict hardship not only on the elderly people who have signed this important petition but on thousands of young families for whom the seaside and country homes scheme releases much-needed accommodation in London.

Accordingly, the petition prays that the hon. Members of the House of Commons should not approve the legislation to abolish the Greater London council. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

To lie upon the Table.

9.37 am
Mr. Jack Ashley (Stoke-on-Trent, South)

I, too wish to present a petition on behalf of the tenants of the Greater London council's seaside and country homes scheme for retired Londoners who now live in Avon, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Shropshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Sussex and Wiltshire.

The petition has thousands of signatures. It reflects the very deep anxieties of the tenants, and in particular their profound concern that the seaside and country homes scheme, which by common consent does much to help the young and old alike, will be terminated if the GLC is abolished.

Accordingly, the petition prays that the hon. Members of the House of Commons should not approve the legislation to abolish the Greater London council. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

To lie upon the Table.