§ 2.35 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many eviction orders have been obtained against ex-Regular soldiers living in married quarters in each of the years 1955–1959.]
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, the figures are as follows: in 1955, 90; in 1956, 77; in 1957, 91; in 1958, 78, and in 1959, 82.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for those figures, but I think they will rather disappoint noble Lords. I do not think that most noble Lords realise that as many orders as that are executed every year. Does the noble Earl realise that this, though not on a large scale, is a small factor that tends to deter Regular soldiers from taking on for long service?
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, I am fully aware of the difficulties which the noble Earl has mentioned, but I should like to point out that these evictions, sad as they are, take a long time coming about—never less than six months and sometimes well over a year; and, of course, there is the safeguard that an eviction has to be on the personal instruction of the Secretary of State or the Under-Secretary of State for War when it is finally ordered.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, could the noble Earl say how many of these ex-soldiers, in fact, have been subsequently rehoused in local authority housing?
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, I cannot give the noble Lord those figures off-hand, but I can tell him that in 1955 the local authorities were asked by the Government to waive the rule about the length of time they had been in an area. Practically every local authority has agreed to do this, and it is working rather well.