HL Deb 13 February 1973 vol 338 cc1533-4WA
LORD HYLTON

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state their intention of confirming compulsory purchase orders served by local authorities in the following circumstances:

  1. (a) Where individual dwellings are in extremely bad condition and owners have failed over a long period to make the necessary and possible improvements;
    2. 1534
  2. (b) Where dwellings have been left empty or heavily under-occupied over a long period;
  3. (c) Where owners are seeking to evict the tenants of dwellings, in order to sell with vacant possession;
  4. (d) On an area basis where owners fail to improve their dwellings to the 12-point standard within a reasonable period of time, or where they seek to displace their existing tenants prior to making the improvements.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)

Compulsory purchase orders on existing dwellings made under the apropriate statutory provisions are confirmed or rejected on the merits of the particular case. Authorities are expected to offer improvement grants and loans where appropriate and generally to show that they have exhausted the scope for persuasion before they proceed to compulsory purchase. Where specific remedies such as the service of repair or improvement notices or the prevention of harassment and of illegal eviction are available to local authorities, they are expected to use them.

House adjourned at nineteen minutes past nine o'clock.