§ LORD HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to implement the recommendation of the Seebohm Report that local housing authorities should take a comprehensive and extended view of their responsibilities and should know more about the total housing situation in their areas (Cmnd. 3703).
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, in their Report,Council Housing: Purposes, Procedures and Priorities, the Central Housing Advisory Committee said that local authorities should have a clearer, deeper and more detailed understanding of the local housing situation and recommended that authorities should take steps to ensure that they were better informed of the housing situation in their areas. A copy of the Committee's Report was sent to all housing authorities in November, 1969, with a circular commending it to them in general terms. In addition, Section 70 of the Housing Act 1969 now requires authorities to make inspections of their district with a view to determining what action needs to be taken in relation to slum clearance, multiple occupation and general improvement. Furthermore, the Government are encouraging local authorities to establish housing aid centres and, in dealing with the problems which are brought to them, local authorities are expected to obtain a wide knowledge of the housing circumstances of their area.