HOUSING (TEMPORARY PROVISIONS) BILL. (Hansard, 1 August 1944)

§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA AND BURMA (THE EARL OF MUNSTER)
My Lords, in moving that this Bill be read a second time I need not keep your Lordships long, for this three-clause Bill should in no way prove to be of controversial character. It merely amends the law in two important respects so that local authorities can make an immediate start, as soon as hostilities come to an end, in building new houses and homes for the people. First, the measure enlarges the scope of local authority activities and, secondly, it deals with the acquisition of land upon which these houses must be erected. The House will be already aware that the Government have set themselves a target figure of 300,000 houses, which includes a proportion of that as yet unknown quantity which have been or may be battered down by enemy action. Nevertheless, as soon as this unnatural interlude in which we now live comes to an end, we should be able to estimate with a far greater degree of accuracy the number of houses which the local authorities will be able to erect.
This measure does not make any changes whatever in permanent housing legislation. Its terms are entirely provisional. The two items with which the Bill deals are part of a comprehensive 24 Government scheme for the development of post-war housing. It is intended in due course to present to Parliament three Bills—the first dealing with the basis and amount of subsidies which are mentioned in this Bill; the second dealing with the part which will be played by private enterprise; and the third dealing with the supplementation of permanent building by emergency factory-made houses.
Under the law as it stands to-day a subsidy is only payable to local authorities in respect of any new houses built to replace slums to abate overcrowding and in connexion with development of any central areas. In rural districts local authorities can also build houses with the grant of a subsidy for the general needs of the agricultural community. The first clause therefore of this Bill is designed to remove the restriction and to enable urban as well as rural authorities to receive subsidies in respect of houses built for general needs during the first two years after the end of the war, but before the 1st October, 1947. The question of subsidy, as I have already mentioned, will require further review in the light of changes in building costs, rates and rents and repairs, and further legislation will be introduced at a later date if it is required, and if it is found necessary to increase the rents already fixed by the Act of 1938. At the same time my right honourable friend the Minister of Health has given an assurance that any new subsidy which is subsequently fixed will apply to all houses approved by him under the provisions of this short Bill.
The second clause gives my right honourable friend power for a period of two years after the passing of the Bill to approve compulsory purchase orders made by any local authorities without a public inquiry. I think I might remind the House that precisely the same legislation was passed at the end of the last war, when the housing situation was just as acute as it is to-day. I do not think there is anything further I need draw your Lordships' attention to in this small provisional Bill and I beg to move that it be now read a second time.

§ LORD ABERDARE
My Lords, may I say just one word on behalf of the National Playing Fields' Association who 25 take such a keen interest in the matter of private recreation grounds? One of the objects of this Bill seems to be to enable the Minister of Health to dispense with the necessity of a local inquiry when it is intended to take compulsorily any land for housing. Public recreation grounds seem to me to be safe because they are protected by the provisions of various Housing Acts and possibly by other Acts of Parliament, but there seems to be no security for private grounds which often have been laid out at very great expense by banks, insurance companies, commercial concerns, polytechnics and other bodies. The fact that such land has been levelled and well-drained at considerable expense has almost invariably meant that it is open to attack when land is sought for such purposes as housing. The local inquiry up to now has been the only safeguard when it has been intended to take over private sports grounds for housing purposes. The value of these grounds is well known to all, providing as they do recreation for large sections of the community without any cost to the ratepayers. Private sports grounds have suffered very grievously in the past and I do hope that under this Bill they will not suffer unreasonably in the future. May I ask the noble Earl, Lord Munster, if he can give an assurance that when such grounds are intended to he taken for building those interested in their preservation will have a reasonable opportunity of voicing their objections?

§ TILE EARL OF MUNSTER
My Lords, I will certainly look into the point raised by my noble friend before the Committee stage of this Bill, which I intend to ask your Lordships to take to-morrow. Subject to any remarks which my right honourable friend the Minister of Health may make, I think I can probably give the assurance for which my noble friend has asked.