§ 24. Mr. Geoffrey Bingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the acreage of land in the possession of the Hornchurch Urban District available for building of council houses but upon which building had not commenced on 1st January, 1946, 1st January, 1948, 1st January, 1950, and to the nearest convenient date in 1951.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanI regret that I cannot give the full information asked for. On 1st January, 1946, Hornchurch Urban District Council had 16 acres of land on which council houses could be built. Between 1st January, 1946, and 1st January, 1948, they acquired 165 acres; between 1st January, 1948, and 1104 1st January, 1950, four acres, and between 1st January, 1951, and 30th September, 1951, 40 acres. On 30th September last the council had eight acres of land on which house building had not begun.
§ Mr. BingDoes not the right hon. Gentleman consider, even though he has now halved the number of houses for letting, that the possibility of building only for sale will create a somewhat unfortunate position? Will he use his influence to persuade the council to get on as quickly as possible and to buy more land?
§ Mr. MacmillanThere may be many things about which we differ, but I do not think there will be difficulty about the acquiring of the necessary land.