Peter Marsh got a bit of a ticking off when the thorny subject of security of tenure arose in Parliament this week.
Labour MP Clive Betts reported that some of his constituents have raised concerns about comments made by the Tenant Services Authority chief executive, who apparently said tenants in areas of high demand might lose their security.
Housing minister John Healey was quick to put the record straight: ‘It would be worthwhile for my honourable friend to reassure residents in his constituency that matters of policy concerning the security of people’s tenure are for the government, not the TSA chief executive.’
The helpful Mr Betts also gave the minister a chance to return to one of his favourite subjects, the evils of Conservative-run Hammersmith and Fulham council’s housing policy, and in particular the views of its leader Stephen Greenhalgh.
Mr Betts enquired: ‘Will my right honourable friend completely dissociate himself from the comments of the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council, who said that one problem with social housing was that it was hard to get rid of these people?’
Mr Healey didn’t have too much trouble with that one: ‘The comments that my honourable friend attributes to the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council are very revealing - they reveal a deeply held prejudice against people in public housing,’ he responded.
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