§ LORD HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied that local authorities are giving sufficient attention and priority to the families in greatest housing need, particularly the very young family, the larger family 1274WA with a low income and the fatherless family (Cmnd. 3703) bearing in mind (1) that many such families frequently have no alternative available to them except furnished accommodation; and (2) the recommendations concerning residential qualifications and furnished tenants of the Cullingworth Committee on"Council Housing, Purposes, Procedures and Priorities."
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lord, under Section 111 of the Housing Act 1957 the general management and control of council houses, which includes their allocation, is the responsibility of the local authorities. It is for them to satisfy themselves that they are allocating their houses fairly. In this connection, authorities have been given the guidance contained in the Cullingworth Report,Council Housing: Purposes, Procedures and Priorities. This Report referred to the paragraphs in the report of the Committee on Local Authority and Personal Social Services which said that local authorities should pay more attention to families who were particularly vulnerable and it went on to say that, in allocating tenancies, authorities should take social need into account as well as objective factors such as overcrowding and the like.