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)
I notice that after my stinging criticisms of him during the previous sitting, the hon. Gentleman is going some way to make up ground with me. That is important and I note it. I shall be less unkind to him in future; it is not fair to shoot rats in a barrel.
It is important for the Government to take the hon. Gentleman's argument on board, as there are more than a few means of encouraging the sort of action that we all feel would be appropriate. The Government suggest a justice of the peace for the district, or the parish or community council for the area in which the house is situated. Opposition Members are staunch defenders of the roles of parish and community councils; they are extremely important representative bodies, and we associate ourselves with them entirely. Justices of the peace are important local figures; again, we do not suggest that they should not be asked to play such a role. However, it seems odd, as the hon. Gentleman said, that a Member of Parliament will not have this power but a JP will.
You, Mr. Conway, and other members of the Committee know that the issues and complaints dealt with by the Bill are already often brought to Members of Parliament. We all receive correspondence in our mailbags week by week of the sort that would be appropriate to pass on for action by local authorities, but it seems a little bizarre that a Member of Parliament should have to go to a justice of the peace or his parish council to ask them to do something. [Interruption.] The Minister is chuntering, and I have no doubt that he will speak with his usual eloquence in response to the debate, but the amendment moved by the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton has merit in that regard.
We are all interested in delivering a system that enables the local authority to act appropriately whenever and wherever necessary. The more opportunity responsible people have to encourage the local authority to do so the better, although we do not want people ringing up on the off-chance to suggest that it should get involved unnecessarily. However, that is not the implication of the amendment.
The amendment is in keeping with the spirit of the Bill, it would improve the process and it would allow those with legitimate concerns to voice them to a range of local representatives, who could, in turn, pass them on to the relevant authority. In that sense, the hon. Gentleman made a persuasive case, which I hope the Minister will take on board. It could have been made better, as it was in amendment No. 182, with which the hon. Gentleman generously said that he agreed in large part. With equal generosity, therefore, let me say that I largely support his comments.