Clause 4 - Inspections by local housing authorities to see whether category 1 or 2 hazards exist
Housing Bill
9:10 am
Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)
It is good, Mr. Conway, to be back in the throes of our work, which we are beginning to enjoy immensely.
The amendment is a useful stimulant to discussion because it throws real light on one of the issues that we discussed at length on Tuesday. I have some sympathy with the comments of the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey), in that widening the opportunity for people to gain such a response from the relevant authority is good and healthy.
Indeed, we tabled an amendment—it was not selected, Mr. Conway, but I do not question the infinite wisdom of the Chair—that would have widened that opportunity still further. It would have widened it to people living in the parish who might come together to request action. My reasoning is that if a group of people in a street or neighbourhood are beginning to feel the effects of a house or houses that are faulty or causing difficulty in one form or another, then in addition to having the opportunity to make representations to their MP or parish council, as the Government favour, they should be able to do so directly. However, that is not the subject of this short debate, because that amendment was not selected.