§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what right local authorities are entitled to evict unsupported mothers for arrears, usually on mortgages, incurred by husbands who have left home; and how many such evictions have local authorities carried out in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. AmeryWhere payment has been secured by a mortgage of property, an authority can exercise the ordinary remedy of a mortgagee. Where a tenant is in arrears of rent, an authority can resort for a possession order either to the magistrates' court or to the county court. I have no information about the number of occasions on which such remedies have been exercised against unsupported mothers, but I have no reason to suppose that authorities are not generally sympathetic. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will let me know of it.