§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he is able to estimate the number of properties currently in the occupation of squatters in England and Wales;
(2) whether he is able to estimate the number of persons currently occupying buildings as squatters in England and Wales.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe information necessary to form reliable estimates is not available.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will move to set up a Select Committee to consider the phenomenon of squatting and to make recommendations.
§ Mr. KaufmanNo.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will now introduce appropriate legislation to impose upon all persons who occupy property as squatters a duty to register with the local rent office their true identities and the date of their entry into occupation;
(2) whether he will now introduce appropriate legislation to enable the owner of a property which is occupied by squatters to recover from such persons compensation for the use and enjoyment of the premises for such time as they remain in occupation thereof, calculated as if the squatter had implicitly agreed to pay a fair rent fixed by the rent officer.
§ Mr. KaufmanNo.