58. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health whether he has received resolutions from conferences of local authorities held at the Town Hall, Carlisle (for Cumberland and Westmoreland), on 16th June, 1924; the Council Chamber, Newcastle - upon - Tyne (for Northumberland and Durham), on 17th June, 1924; the Lord Mayor's Parlour (for Lancashire and Cheshire), on 18th June, 1924; the Old County Hall, London, S.W. (for Greater London and the Home Counties), on 20th June, 1924; the Council Chamber, Sheffield (for South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire, and North Nottinghamshire), on 19th June, 1924; the Council House, Bristol (for West of England), on 23rd June, 1924; the Council Chamber, Cardiff (for South Wales and Monmouth-shire), on 24th June, 1924; and the Civic Hall, Exeter (for Devon and Cornwall), on 30th June, 1924; protesting against the limitation of the maximum measurement for houses prescribed in the Government's Housing Bill, and urging that local authorities should have greater freedom as to the standards required in their own districts; and will he say what action he proposes to take to meet their wishes in this matter?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI have received a copy of the resolution referred to. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my 2247 replies to him on the 25th June and 2nd July.
Mr. THOMSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, at the annual meeting of the Municipal Corporations Association, held in the Guildhall this morning under the presidency of Lord Derby, a resolution was passed by 300 representatives of local authorities protesting against this limitation of the size of houses; and, in view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman said that he had been compelled by the local authorities to make this reduction, will he now reconsider the policy of the Government on this question?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI have not had any intimation of the resolution passed this morning, to which my hon. Friend refers, but I am aware that very few local authorities have utilised to the full the powers they already possess.
§ Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEIs not the fact that the local authorities have not utilised their powers due to there being no men to build the houses or materials with which to build them?
§ 76. Mr. MASTERMANasked the Minister of Health if he will now state the. figures proposed by the Building Committee in Cmd. 2104 as x and y per square foot at which they are prepared to build two-and-a-half million housed of a limited size during the next 15 years?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI think it would be against the public interest to publish the figures in question. It will be remembered that I have agreed with the local authorities to proceed normally by the method of competitive tenders.
§ Mr. MASTERMANIs it not impossible for us to discuss the question without knowing the offer made between the combination of building operatives and employers?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYThe right hon. Gentleman is not justified in describing it as an offer. It was an item of information supplied to the Ministry of Health to enable it to judge whether the best competitive tender was a reasonable one in present circumstances. If I circulate it the hon. Member will readily understand it will become a guide to competitors.
§ Mr. MASTERMANSurely the House of Commons ought to have that information before it decides finally.
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am not asking the House of Commons to decide whether that advice was sound or unsound. It was added to the information already at the disposal of the Ministry of Health, which is usually utilised in such cases.
§ Mr. H. H. SPENCERDoes the Minister call this secret diplomacy?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSHaving regard to the grave anxiety the whole House feels whether the houses can be built at the price, are we not entitled to these figures?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI think the figures the House ought to know and which will be most useful to Members are the figures at which builders are prepared to build houses. These figures are at the service of the House.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman supply the House with a statement of figures as to the price at which builders are prepared to build the houses at present and for the next few years?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI have been supplying figures repeatedly week by week, to the House of the prices at which houses are being built.
§ Mr. SUNLIGHTHave not the masters in fact amended the proposed figure?
§ Major BURNIEIs it not a fact that the persons who supplied the figures, etc. to you in the Report are the same persons who will tender for houses to be erected under the Bill?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYNo. The figures were supplied by a committee representing the employers and employés. No such committee proposes to tender.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSMay we have an answer to the very important question put by the hon. Member below the Gangway, whether these figures have been altered at all? The suggestion would not be made if it was unfounded.
§ Mr. WHEATLEYThe right hon. Gentleman is asking me whether the people who supplied these figures have changed their mind. It would be as 2249 difficult for me to enlighten the House on that as on the state of the mind of the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. PRINGLEHave the members of the committee or any of them made any communication to the Ministry of Health indicating that these figures would have to be amended?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYNo such communication has been received.