§ Captain Pluggeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether, in view of the patching up of houses in the East End to provide temporary accommodation, he will express to the local authorities concerned the inadvisability of effecting any permanent repairs, in the expectation that at the end of the war the existing structures will be replaced by others more modern and appropriate?
§ Mr. E. BrownI have been asked to reply. Before carrying out permanent repairs under the Housing (Emergency Powers) Act, 1939, as amended by the Repair of War Damage Act, 1941, local authorities must obtain my consent in each case. I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that such consent would not be forthcoming as regards houses of the type to which he refers and I would draw his attention to the last sentence of paragraph 7 of Circular 1810 of 18th August, 1939, of which I am sending him a copy.