§ 29. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Agriculture, if it is intended that loans for 60 years shall be sanctioned for the building of cottages of under £150 in value?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe period of the loan necessarily depends upon the probable duration of the building, and each case will have to be considered on its merits.
§ 30. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his advisers have decided what is the equivalent in wages of an eighth of an acre of garden to a cottager; and what is the minimum wage which the agricultural labourers under the Crown are to receive in order to be able to pay 4s. a week rent for cottage and garden?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt is impossible to give a precise answer to the first part of the question; it depends upon various considerations, conditions of soil and climate, the time and opportunity which the occupier of a cottage may have for the cultivation of his garden, and so forth. With regard to the latter part of the question I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to a question on this subject addressed to me by the hon. Member for the Wilton Division on Tuesday last.
§ 31. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, in view of the pressing need for additional cottage accommodation in many rural districts, he will reconsider his decision to postpone or abandon that part of the Government's Housing Bill which enables the work of erecting cottages to be carried out by public utility societies upon more favourable terms than at present as regards the proportion, period, and rate of interest of loans for this purpose from the Public Works Loans Commissioners?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI cannot add anything at present to what I said on Friday last.