§ 82. Mr. CLANCYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to the request of the Corporation of Dublin that a substantial portion of the moneys received by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt from the National Health Insurance Commissioners for Ireland for investment should be used for making advances under the Housing of the Working Classes (Ireland) Acts; whether the National Insurance Act contemplates the preferential employment of such moneys for the purpose of such advances; and, if so, what reason is there that they should not be so used, especially in view of the admitted fact that the housing conditions in Dublin, so far as the working classes are concerned, are bad beyond all comparison, and constitute a continual source of social unrest?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI understand that the National Debt Commissioners intend to make investments on behalf of the National Health Insurance Fund in Local Loans Stock as and when opportunities for 317 so doing arise. But in view of the paramount necessity of restricting capital expenditure at the present time the amounts which can be issued from the Local Loans Fund for housing in any part of the United Kingdom are very much diminished, and I fear it is necessary to adhere to this policy during the War.
Mr. NUGENTIn view of the amounts advanced to the local authorities for house-building, would the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of offering the same terms in connection with housing in Dublin as offered for the War Loan, namely—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better give notice of that.