HC Deb 23 October 1918 vol 110 cc748-9
11. Mr. GILBERT

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what housing scheme has been approved at the national shipbuilding yard at Chepstow; and will he state the number of houses that have been provided up till now, the number of persons they house, and at what rents they are let?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The Standard Shipbuilding and Engineering Company had already in hand a scheme for the construction of 130 houses, and I am advised that thirty-five of these have been completed and are in actual occupation. The Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding has prepared a further scheme for the provision of 2,080 houses, and request for Treasury sanction for the expenditure involved was made in August. Meantime 220 of these houses are practically complete. I cannot give the number of persons living in the houses, as the number in each house varies with the size of the family. The rents range from 7s. 6d. per week upwards.

Mr. WATTS

Has the right hon. Gentleman formed an estimate when the 2,000 houses indicated in his answer will be finished?

Dr. MACNAMARA

I cannot without notice.