§ 57. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the number of military and munition camps with comfortable and roomy hutments provided with electric lighting, gas and heating, water and drainage, play centres, and halls, and in most cases convenient to centres of industry, and the number of returned soldiers who have no houses for themselves and their families and would gladly now reside in these camps in preference to having the prospect of residing in subvented houses which will take long to materialise; that, notwithstanding these facts, the War Office persists in pulling down these camps, as does also the 236 Ministry of Munitions; and whether lie will supersede the War Office and the Ministry of Munitions in reference to these camps and put the housing authority in control of them, and so prevent the waste of national resources and find homes for the soldiers?
§ Dr. ADDISONArrangements have been made whereby all huts and hostels which are no longer required by the Government Departments who have been in occupation during the "War, are held at the disposal of the Minister of Health, for housing purposes. Up to the present 961 huts and 26 hostels have been taken over by local authorities, and 536 huts in addition have been offered to local authorities. It is anticipated that these huts and hostels will provide accommodation for nearly 2,500 families.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs it not the case that something like 300 of these camps, together with the huts, are being pulled down and taken away, and perhaps they never will be re-erected?
§ Dr. ADDISONI shall be much obliged if my hon. Friend will give me the cases he has in mind.