§ 27. Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENasked how many houses have been built under the Housing of the Working Classes (Ireland) Act of 1908; how many of these houses are let at a weekly rent of 1s. 6d. and 1s., respectively; what has been the total cost, and what contribution has been made towards the cost to the local authorities out of the Housing Fund provided by the Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number of houses built or to be built under the Act in 2,274, but precise information as to the number of houses actually built and as to the rents (which are fixed at the discretion of the local authority as regards reasonable charges) could only be obtained by communication with the several local authorities in the country. The aggregate amount sanctioned for building schemes is £438,055. The contributions from the Housing Fund for the three years ended 31st March, 1910, 1911, 1912, amounted to £5,631, and were sufficient to defray the liabilities of the local authorities for principal and interest.
§ Mr. W. O'BRIENWill the right hon. Gentleman have any objection to obtain for me information as to the rents at which the houses are let because otherwise it would be impossible to tell whether the houses are let to the artisan classes?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI will do the best I can to obtain it. Without circularising all the local authorities I will endeavour to ascertain the largest number of cases I can of what the average rent is.
§ Mr. CLANCYCan the right horn Gentleman say whether it is a fact that the amount of the loans sanctioned since the passing of the Act of 1908 is about half the amount applied for and sanctioned since the year 1890?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI should like notice of that question.