§ 34. Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make funds available to the local authority for the purchase by compulsion or agreement of empty residential and mixed properties in the front line area of the Norwood constituency to help prevent the spread of illegal and anti-social uses of properties in residential areas.
§ Sir George YoungLambeth council, like other local authorities, is free to acquire empty properties for purposes such as improvement for sale and may seek my right hon. Friend's consent to other acquisitions. As far as availability of funds is concerned, I refer the hon. Member552W to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 27 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant).