§ 5. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if it is proposed under the Government's Housing Bill to provide houses for agricultural labourers in purely rural districts only on in semi-industrial areas also, where they are apt to be crowded out of the available cottages by the higher paid employés of more profitable industries; whether it is proposed to let all Government cottages at a full economic rent representing 5 per cent. upon the capital outlay; whether a garden will be provided in every case; and, if so, what will be its minimum area?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe hon. Gentleman will find the answer to the first part of the question in Clause 1 of the Bill. It 1470 is the intention of the Government that all the cottages provided shall be let at an economic rent, but I am not prepared to accept absolutely the hon. Gentleman's definition of that phrase. Gardens will be provided wherever necessary; the size will naturally depend upon various circumstances, and I am not prepared to pledge myself to a minimum.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTAre not gardens necessary in every case?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThey cannot be necessary for people who cannot work in them.
§ 7. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked why it is proposed under the Government Housing Bill to apply so large a sum as £2,000,000 for housing accommodation at Rosyth; how many workmen's houses will this sum provide; and what will happen to them when the constructional work there is completed?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension. A sum not exceeding £2,000,000 is proposed to be made available for the purposes set out in Clause 2 of the Bill, and when introducing the Bill I mentioned Rosyth only as one specially urgent case to be dealt with under that Clause. With regard to the latter parts of the question, I must refer the hon. Gentleman for details to my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland, but I may explain that the houses proposed to be erected at Rosyth will be occupied by Admiralty employés when the constructional work now in progress is completed.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTCan the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion of the sum of £2,000,000 it is estimated will be spent at Rosyth?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI could not say without notice.
§ Colonel GREIGWill the expenditure also apply to the Greenock torpedo factory and the employés there who live at Gourock and the surrounding districts?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI could not answer that without notice.
8. Sir A.GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENasked whether it is intended under the terms of the Housing Bill to borrow £2,000,000 for the purpose of providing housing accommodation at Rosyth and £3,000,000 for the same purpose in the whole of the rest of Great Britain; and how many houses it is proposed to build at Rosyth and in the rest of the country, respectively?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the hon. Gentleman will refer to the Bill he will see that a sum not exceeding £3,000,000 is to be made available for the purposes set out in Clause 1—that is to say, the provision of dwellings and gardens in agricultural districts. It is impossible to estimate precisely the number of dwellings which are required in agricultural districts, but I have no reason to think that the sum named in the Bill will be insufficient to meet the immediate demand. For particulars of the Government's proposals in regard to Rosyth I must refer the hon. Gentleman to my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland.
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENDo I understand that a sum not exceeding £2,000,000 is necessary for Rosyth and other Government factories, and that a sum not exceeding £3,000,000 only is all that is required for the rest of the country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir. The hon. Member is not right in drawing that inference.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to say what the size of the gardens will be?
§ Mr. LANE-FOXDo the Government propose to start building immediately, or can the right hon. Gentleman say at what time they expect to do so?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWhen we have the powers we shall certainly waste no time in making a start. We have not yet got the powers.