§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied with the present arrangements for enabling ex-Regular Servicemen to obtain civilian houses after their discharge.]
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, there has been steady and continuing progress in this matter in recent years. A notable development is an increase in the number of men who buy their own homes when they are discharged from the Forces. This has been encouraged, first by the House Purchase Savings Scheme which was introduced in 1955, and secondly, by the improved pensions and terminal grants which were established a year ago.
As regards council houses, the position is as I have already told the noble Earl, and I am glad to say that local authorities are co-operating. As I say, practically every local authority has agreed to take the difficulties of ex-Servicemen into consideration.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for that reply. Everyone will be pleased to hear that conditions now make it easier for ex-soldiers to put down the money for their own housing. Nevertheless, that can never apply to all of them, and I should like to ask the noble Earl whether, in response to the Ministry of Housing Circular of 1955 (I believe it was No. 26), any local authorities reported special difficulty in carrying out the Minister's wishes.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, that is slightly wide of the Question. I am not aware of any at the moment, 381 but I will certainly let the noble Earl know. I might add that there is a comprehensive and detailed advisory service for ex-Service men in all three Services going out, and an extremely good booklet is issued which, if the noble Earl would like, I will give to him or to any other noble Lord or have it placed in the Library. It is an extremely valuable document and I believe it has been of great assistance to ex-Servicemen of all three Services going out.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, is it quite clear that this scheme applies to the Navy and the Royal Air Force as well as to the Army?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that, valuable as the booklets and the advisory service are, they have not prevented 91 evictions in the last year, each one of which is a domestic tragedy? Is he further aware that the real difficulty is not the good will of the local authorities, but that since the suspension of the general subsidy on housing they have not got any houses and many of them have stopped building? Will the noble Earl look into this to see if it is not possible to promise to local authorities who will rehouse ex-soldiers the same subsidy as is given for housing old people? That might be a real and practical way of getting over this difficulty.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWIf I may reply to the second question first, I think that is really a matter for a housing debate. As regards the pamphlet and other help, no scheme, however good, is always 100 per cent. perfect.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, the noble Earl has said that it is a matter for a housing debate, but, with respect, this is a matter of primary interest to the Services. I should like to ask him to give more attention to it, if he would, and consider whether my noble friend's suggestion might not lead to some attempt to solve what is a dreadful problem. We have all had experience of it. I hope that the rather contented approach to this problem will not continue.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl to refer again to the terms of my second Question, which are:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied …Can they be satisfied with a situation where 80 soldiers are turned out into the street every year?
THE EARL OF ONSLOWNo, my Lords, of course we are not satisfied; and everything will be done to ameliorate the position.
§ LORD TAYLORDoes "everything" include the suggestion of my noble friend Lord Stonham?