§ 67. Mr. A. HENDERSON,Junior asked the Minister of Health how many dwelling-houses have been built under the auspices of public utility housing societies since 1919; whether these societies have received any financial assistance from the Government; if so, the amount of such financial assistance; and whether, in view of the fact that the work of these societies is highly satisfactory and should be further encouraged, he will include such societies in the scope of his proposals for dealing with the housing problem?
§ Mr. WHEATLEY4,540 houses have been erected by public utility societies with the aid of the subsidy payable to societies under the provisions of the Housing Acts, 1919 and 1923, namely, 50 per cent. of the annual loan charges until 1927 and 40 per cent. of the annual charges during the remainder of the 1242 period of the loans (50 years). I have no information as to the extent to which these societies have erected houses without State aid, nor am I able to state how many houses are being erected by them with the assistance of the subsidies which local authorities may give in respect of houses erected by private enterprise under the terms of the Housing, etc., Act, 1923. I am proposing that provision should be made enabling increased assistance to be given to societies who build houses for the working classes subject to special conditions as to their letting and to the amount of rent to be charged for them.