§ 87. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that a number of bona fide applications for assistance under the provisions of the Housing Act, 1949, in respect of alterations and additions to houses have been refused on the ground that the application was made only after the work had been commenced; and whether he will take steps more fully to publicise the provisions of this Act and to abolish this technical rule which is depriving many people of the benefit of the Act.
§ Mr. MarplesMy right hon. Friend is aware of the difficulty to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but he cannot over-ride statutory conditions. The total number of applications received, however, is not as large as might have been expected, and he is at present considering what steps might be taken to make these facilities more widely known and used.