§ 42. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Health what is the present position of municipal authorities as regards the building of houses; and can any authority now undertake housing schemes entirely on their own responsibility and on the security of the local rates, or must they still submit all such schemes to his Department for approval before any local authority can undertake or commence building?
§ Sir A. MONDThere is nothing in the Housing Acts to prevent a local authority at the present time from building houses on its own responsibility, and without any approval from my Department, except in the case of schemes intended to rank for assistance from the Exchequer. Where, however, a local authority desires to raise a loan for the purpose of a housing scheme, my sanction is required, and I shall be glad to give the most favourable consideration to all applications of this kind. In the case of Metropolitan borough councils, the sanctioning authority for loans is the London County Council. I have no doubt that their policy in the matter would be the same.