§ 37. Mr. C. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Health if he can make a further statement as to what progress has now been made in the operation of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act in England?
§ Mr. GREENWOODReturns as to progress under this Act are only made quarterly and I can add nothing to the statement made on the 4th June that 3,377 cottages have been improved under the Act.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the Minister of Health energetic in his propaganda of this Act in England?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI promised that when the Bill was on the Statute Book I would take further steps.
§ 54. Mr. E. D. SIMONasked the Minister of Health if he will give the detailed calculations showing the net rent at which a house costing, all in, £350 can be let in an agricultural parish if built to-day under the 1924 Housing Act, and if given an additional subsidy of a present capital value of £50?
§ Mr. GREENWOODWith the hon. Member's permission I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT giving a detailed calculation of rent based on the given particulars.
§ Mr. SIMONCan the right hon. Gentleman inform me whether the figure 2254 of one-sixth, given in his speech on Tuesday as covering all the expenses apart from the actual interest on the money, is not just about half the cost to local authorities; and is he satisfied that the figure is accurate?
§ Mr. GREENWOODIt is based on long experience. It happens to be a higher proportion in the case of rural cottages than in the case of urban districts.
§ Mr. SIMONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figure is about half what it costs an ordinary local authority; and, if he cuts it down in that way, will he give these local authorities the benefit?
§ Sir J. TUDOR WALTERSI hope the Minister of Health will not accept the statement of my hon. Friend without further investigation.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Statement showing calculation of rent of house costing £350 built in an agricultural parish, for an agricultural worker, allowance being made for Exchequer subsidy under the Housing Act of 1924 and an additional subsidy o£ a capital value of £50.
| Per week (60 years). | ||||
| s. | d. | |||
| Loan charges | 6 | 9 | ||
| Repairs, etc. | 1 | 6 | ||
| 8 | 3 | |||
| s. | d. | |||
| Weekly equivalent of Exchequer contribution | 3 | 9 | ||
| Weekly equivalent of County Council contribution | 4 | |||
| 4 | 1 | |||
| 4 | 2 | |||
| Weekly equivalent of additional subsidy of capital value of £50 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Rent before allowing for equivalent of any rate contribution | 3 | 2 |
§ The rent charged may be further reduced according to the amount of the rate 2255 contribution. The weekly reduction equivalent to a local rate contribution of £2 15s. per annum for 40 years is about 11d. per week.
§ The above calculations have been made on an interest rate of 4¾ per cent. If the rate of interest were 4½ per cent., the net rent would be about 3d. per week less.
§ 57. Mr. COCKSasked the Minister of Health how many cottages have been built by the rural district councils in the county of Nottingham in the last 10 years, giving the totals for each year?
§ Mr. GREENWOODAs the answer involves a tabular statement, I will, with my hon Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe hon. Member will find it in the answer.
§ Following is the table:
| Years ending 31st March: | |||||
| 1922 | … | … | … | … | 251 |
| 1923 | … | … | … | … | 22 |
| 1924 | … | … | … | … | — |
| 1925 | … | … | … | … | — |
| 1926 | … | … | … | … | — |
| 1927 | … | … | … | … | 47 |
| 1928 | … | … | … | … | 127 |
| 1929 | … | … | … | … | 34 |
| 1930 | … | … | … | … | 36 |
| 1931 | … | … | … | … | 75 |