§ 74. Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what is the latest estimate he can give of the houses needed by local authorities to deal with slum clearance and general needs; and what effect the operation of the 1957 Rent Act has had upon easing the housing situation of local authorities.
§ Mr. H. BrookeAbout 650,000 houses remain to be cleared under the present slum clearance programmes of local authorities. The number of dwellings required to rehouse the occupants will probably be rather larger. I can make no estimate of the number of houses32W which local authorities may find it necessary to provide for general needs. But a substantial part of those needs can be met progressively from vacancies arising among the 3¼ million houses which local authorities already own.
I cannot measure statistically the effect of the Rent Act but it has helped to keep houses available for letting and has discouraged under-occupation. Both these gains must in the long run help to ease the housing problems of local authorities.