§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the demolition of older houses in urban areas.
§ Mr. StanleyDecisions on appropriate methods of tackling the problem of older housing in urban areas, as elsewhere, rest essentially with local authorities and will depend on local circumstances. The undesirable effects of wholesale demolition are now generally recognised, and the improvement provisions in the forthcoming Housing Bill should help to extend the life of older houses where this is an economic proposition.