§ LORD ABINGER had given Notice to ask His Majesty's Government if it is the fact that district councils supervise building operations within their districts under the housing scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Health, and enter into or arrange contracts for the building of such houses; and whether it is considered correct for an assistant overseer who collects rates on behalf of the district council in a parish within their district to be given a contract to build houses for the use of that parish; if this is contrary to the spirit of the Local Government Acts, will the Ministry of Health cause all such irregularities to cease?
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, in asking His Majesty's Government the Question which stands in my name I may say that the specific case on which the Question arose created a certain amount of complication, and as there may be many other cases of a similar nature perhaps the Government will look into the matter and prevent district councils from causing similar complications in the future. In this particular instance the assistant overseer took a contract for building houses in a parish within the area of the district council. Of course, he is also collector of rates for the district council, but, nevertheless, he may be appointed by the parish council, although he is a beneficiary from money received from the district council.
District councils are rather autocratic bodies and do not always consult the parish councils. The council proceeded in this case to build houses. In the meantime the parish council obtained the ground in front of the houses for the benefit of the public, and naturally the parishioners were very much annoyed when they saw a man coming along and making a road across their green. As this man was the assistant overseer and also the contractor, they addressed their complaint through the parish council. There again, 301 the matter is a little complicated, because the person through whom they represent their complaint is the parish clerk, who is alto the assistant overseer and the contractor, and so this unfortunate man is in the position of reporting on his own delinquencies. As this seems a little contrary to the spirit of the Local Government Acts, I ask the Government to be so good as to look into the matter, to warn district councils, and prevent such cases arising in the future.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)My Lords, the noble Lord has somewhat amplified his Question in the speech which lie has just addressed to the House, but as the Question stands I will take it part by part. As regards the first part, district Councils are empowered. under the Housing Act to enter into contracts for the erection of houses for the working classes. As regards the second part, as a rule the assistant overseer is not an officer of the district council. The noble Lord has been good enough to give further information as to the particular case which he had in his mind, and I should be very glad indeed to go into it. Perhaps it will be more convenient if he will give it me in writing, and I shall be very happy to have the matter examined, and then let him have a full reply with regard to the particular case.
§ LORD ABINGERI beg to thank the noble Earl.