§ 44. Major PRESCOTTasked the Minister of Health whether he has sanctioned the carrying out of any housing schemes beyond the time limit of 31st July, 1922, with a view to qualifying for State assistance under the provisions of the Housing Act of 1919; and, if so, will he consider the expediency of withholdng further sanctions, having regard to the gravity of the financial situation in developing housing schemes on a prime cost basis?
§ Sir A. MONDI have given local authorities an assurance that I shall be prepared to extend the period within which houses may qualify for financial assistance in cases where definite obligations have been entered into with the approval of the Ministry of Health which, by reason of circumstances out side the control of the local authority, cannot be carried out within the prescribed period. But I must point out that the great majority of housing contracts are not on a prime cost basis, and I am not prepared to extend the use of that method.