38. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Prime Minister whether, in order that there shall not be a single house the less built under the Government's revised rules for carrying out their housing schemes for 1919, they will now authorise the Minister of Health to sanction the erection of more than the 176,000 houses already promised, in order that all the available labour and materials may be fully employed on house building?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir Alfred Mond)I have been asked to reply. In view of the large programme of housing still to be completed, and the continued reduction in prices, I hope that further State intervention in any form will not be required, and that the building industry will return to its pre-War economic basis.
Mr. THOMSONAre we to understand from what the right hon. Gentleman says that the Government are not going to fulfil the original promise of the Prime Minister to build 500,000 houses?
§ Sir A. MONDI am not aware that either the Prime Minister or any other Minister ever gave such a promise.