§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his statement of 16 November, Official Report, c. 861, what evidence he has that certain local authorities are not allowing the issue of application forms for discretionary housing improvement grants before 31 March; and what remedy he will make available to applicants so affected.
§ Sir George YoungMy Department has received representations to the effect that application forms for home improvement grants are not being issued by local authorities in some cases. I have no power to intervene, or to interpret the statutes authoritatively, but such decisions on the part of local authorities could be open to challenge in the courts by aggrieved potential applicants. A more reasonable policy is for authorities to receive applications, consider them on their merits, and where appropriate to place applicants on a waiting list. I have given advice to this effect in cases where this point has been raised.