§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the London borough councils he has recently met to discuss the action he is willing to take to reduce the number of empty houses that exist in such boroughs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EyreOn 16th April my hon. Friend met representatives of the Greater London Council London Boroughs Associations and the following London borough councils:
At that meeting he asked them urgently to review their policy towards short-life properties in their ownership, and take immediate steps to ensure that everything possible is being done to make maximum use of such properties. So far as empty dwellings in the private sector are concerned, he asked councils to consider the possible use of compulsory purchase orders, in cases of owners who were blatantly disregarding their obligations to bring housing into use.32W
Brent Lambeth Camden Lewisham Hackney Newham Hammersmith Southwark Haringey Tower Hamlets Islington Wandsworth Kensington & Chelsea Westminster under the Housing Act 1957 is as follows:
§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many houses are at present empty in each of the 32 London boroughs.
§ Mr. EyreComplete information is not available, since records of vacant private sector dwellings are not at present kept. The Advisory Committee of Treasurers of the London Boroughs Association has, however, agreed to collect this information regularly from the end of the financial year 1972–73.
§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the procedures which must be followed by borough councils who wish to place compulsory purchase orders on empty property existing within their boroughs.
§ Mr. EyreThe relevant stautory procedures are contained in the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act 1946 and The Compulsory Purchase by Local Authorities (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 1962. [Statutory Instrument 1962 No. 1424.]
Briefly, the procedures are intended to ensure that owners and others are notified of the making of any compulsory purchase order affecting their land; given an opportunity to object; and, before any public inquiry is held, given an indication of the local authority's reasons for making the order.