Oral Answers to Questions — Housing. – in the House of Commons at on 29 January 1929.
asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that an overwhelming proportion of advertisements of rooms to let in London specify no children taken; and whether, in view of the hardship caused to families whose breadwinners must live near their work, he can expedite the building of flats in place of derelict tenement houses in London and in the meantime introduce such legislation as will make it illegal to specify no children as a clause in a contract for the letting of apartments?
My right hon. Friend does not consider that the remedy suggested by the hon. Member would be likely to effect its object. The real solution as the hon. Member appears to appreciate, is to increase the amount of available accommodation, and my right hon. Friend understands that the London County Council already have under consideration proposals for the erection of dwellings in London for persons who must reside near their places of employment.
Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the amount of accommodation provided by the County Council is wholly inadequate, and that, in the meantime, the difficulty of women with children is rapidly approaching a scandal in those areas in London where it is absolutely essential for the men to be at work early in the morning?
That may or may not be so, but the remedy suggested by the hon. Member would not meet the difficulty.
Viscountess ASTOR:
Will the right hon. Gentleman consider making a plea to people of philanthropic disposition to build houses, like the Peabody Trust, stipulating for children? We have tried it at Plymouth, and it seems to be the only way to get people to take children.
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, under the present legislation, when the houses of working people become decontrolled, the landlord frequently takes the opportunity of saying that the houses will not be let to tenants who have children?
I do not think it matters whether the houses are decontrolled or not; the same position applies.
Viscountess ASTOR:
Is it not true that a great many of these houses are owned by working men?
Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to do nothing, and merely to say that it does not matter?
No. The hon. Member has overlooked the last part of my answer, and that is that the London County Council, who have already made great progress in providing fresh housing accommodation in London, which is the real remedy for the difficulty to which the hon. Member refers, are continuing their work, and are particularly engaged in putting forward schemes for what are called the inner areas.