asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will issue a circular of advice to local authorities on the best course of action when persons are evicted from overcrowded dwellings and there is no accommodation in which to rehouse them.

It is the duty of housing authorities to consider the housing needs of their districts and make provision accordingly. I have no evidence that evictions due to overcrowding are a general problem, but where a family is evicted and no other accommodation is immediately available for their rehousing, they must come for the time being into the care of the welfare authority.

I am sure that housing and welfare authorities generally are well aware of their responsibilities and the courses of action open to them, but if the hon. Member has any particular difficulties in mind I will gladly consider any information he can give me.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman very well aware of the difficulties I have in mind? Does he not know that in Slough there are 40 cases of eviction from overcrowding now before the council, with no accommodation whatsoever in which the people can be placed? When does the Minister intend to face up to this crisis in the towns of the South-East which are now overcrowded and which have no possibility at all of accommodating their citizens, and where no young married couple can get a house or a flat? When does he intend to do something about it?

I am not aware of the 40 cases—or, indeed, of any number—in Slough, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman will give me details. But it is true that local authorities faced with evictions due to overcrowded multi-occupied houses have effective powers with which to deal with the problem. I will communicate with the Slough authority this afternoon to make sure that it fully understands these powers.

Is effective power much use without effective houses?

The effective powers to which I refer are powers, in the last resort—once the present Housing Bill has received the Royal Assent—to apply a control order to the property or, in some cases, to take over the property by compulsory purchase order.

But when there is no accommodation available, how can the local authorities possibly provide for these people?

Because the point is that the accommodation from which the people have been evicted would, by this means, be made available for them.