§ Sir J. Nallasked the Minister of Health whether he will require local authorities to cancel notices to quit which have been served upon tenants of property condemned for clearance and thus retain for the time being all available house property; and whether he is aware that certain authorities are insisting on the demolition of property which might usefully be retained until the emergency is past?
§ Mr. ElliotI have no power to require local authorities to cancel notices to quit which have been served on the tenants of condemned houses. In any event such a course would appear to be unnecessary and undesirable in cases in which the rehousing accommodation has been provided. I have, as my hon. Friend is aware, advised local authorities that their action under clearance and individual demolition orders should stop short of demolition and, when giving this advice I was influenced by the consideration that condemned houses, although unfit for human habitation, might, in the event of a considerable destruction of housing accommodation as a result of enemy action, be brought into use. As regards the last part of the question, I am not aware that local authorities have proceeded further than to issue notices to quit.