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§ Mr. Ian Mikardo (Bow and Poplar)I beg to ask leave to present a petition from many of my constituents, which states:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.
The Humble Petition of UK Residents Sheweth:—
that the substantial reduction, resulting from the policy of Her Majesty's Government, in the funds available to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for the maintenance and repair of the public housing stock in the Borough is causing a large and growing number of the families in that stock to live in conditions intolerable in a civilised society;
that there is an unduly high incidence of leaking roofs, walls growing condensation-induced fungus, defective plumbing, broken windows, peeling wallpaper, lifts out of action and other unnecessary burdens on residents which could be lifted if adequate resources were available;
that overcrowding and homelessness are equally rife;
that not only people's homes but also their environments are deteriorating fast; and that all these defects and dangers continue to grow.
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will demand that Her Majesty's Government begin to pay more attention to people's needs than to monetarist mathematical formulae, and provide the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and other similar authorities, with adequate resources to maintain, repair, improve and extend their housing stock in order to make it possible for their citizens to live in safe, healthy and comfortable homes.
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will every pray, etc.
To lie upon the Table.