HL Deb 21 May 1986 vol 475 cc361-3

7.22 p.m.

Baroness Vickers

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee on this Bill.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Baroness Vickers.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The LORD CULLEN OF ASHBOURNE in the Chair.]

Clause 1 [Duty of local authority to carry out periodic housing inspections]:

Lord Kilbracken moved Amendment No. 1: Page 1, line 15, leave out ("after which") and insert ("and").

The noble Lord said: This amendment is a paving amendment for the next one. With the leave of the Committee I intend to speak to both. I should like to begin by saying that I fully support this Bill. My aim in putting down these two amendments is to make it somewhat stronger.

Under the principal Act a periodic inspection of the district has to be undertaken by the local authority from time to time to decide what action to take with regard to its obligations regarding houses in multiple occupancy. The purpose of this clause of the Bill is to ensure that such an inspection takes place in each district within 18 months of the Bill receiving the Royal Assent and then once every three years thereafter. I am completely in favour of that proposal.

However, as the Bill stands at present, although the local authority has to prepare a written statement of strategy for dealing with the conditions found, no deadline is set by which that statement of strategy has to be completed and made available to the public. Clearly it is necessary that a change should be made. I have said that it should take place within nine months of the expiry of the 18-month period. Nine months is the period of human gestation. I therefore thought that was perhaps appropriate, but I am open to other suggestions on that matter. My amendment would ensure that the report was published within that period. I beg to move.

Baroness Vickers

I am very grateful to the noble Lord for putting down his amendment. It is reasonable and helpful, and it would add clarity to the Bill. I have great pleasure in accepting it.

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Lord Kilbracken moved Amendment No. 2: Page 1, line 17, after ("found") insert ("within nine months of the completion of any such inspection").

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 2 [Duty of local housing authority to require certain standards]:

Lord Kilbracken moved Amendment No. 3: Page 2, line 7, leave out ("the local housing authority") and insert ("it").

The noble Lord said: The two remaining amendments are purely drafting amendments. If Clause 2 of the Bill goes through in its present form, the principal Act, when it is amended, will read: the local housing authority shall, unless the local housing authority exercises its powers", and so on. That seems to me to be unintentionally repetitious and the amendment that I have put down will remove that repetition. I beg to move.

Baroness Vickers

I should like to accept this amendment, too.

Lord Kilbracken

I omitted to say earlier that I was grateful to the noble Baroness for accepting my amendment. I was grateful, and I am grateful again in this case.

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Clause 2, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 3 [Complaints by persons living in houses in multiple occupation]:

Lord Kilbracken moved Amendment No. 4: Page 2, line 23, leave out ("be had") and insert ("follow").

The noble Lord said: I found a little difficulty in understanding this clause when I first read it. I realised that my difficulty arose from the use of the word "had" in line 23. I do not think in a normal usage of the language that we talk about "having" certain proceedings. It would be very much clearer, instead of saying "shall be had", simply to say "shall follow". I hope that the noble Baroness will show the same favour to this amendment. I beg to move.

Baroness Vickers

I have had the pleasure of discussing this amendment previously with the noble Lord, and I should like to accept it.

Lord Kilbracken

I am grateful to the noble Baroness.

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Clause 3, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clause agreed to.

House resumed: Bill reported with the amendments.