54. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health with regard to his recent negotiations with the representatives of local authorities as to the terms of his new Housing Bill, whether he will say what steps he took to resist their demand that the subsidy should be limited to the small type of houses specified in the Housing Act of 1923; and, seeing that he refused the request of the local authorities for an extra grant to small urban districts, will he say why he did not also decline their request that the subsidy should be limited to the type of houses specified in the 1923 Act?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI am satisfied that if the local authorities build sufficient of the larger size of houses specified in the Act of 1923, the housing conditions of the country will be much improved. There is nothing in the Act to prevent local authorities building a larger type of house, but it was felt that the country could not subsidise them.
Mr. THOMSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that conferences held by 300 local authorities during the present week and last week have repudiated the suggestion he has made that they desire to be tied to this small type of house, and will he reconsider the matter?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYI have consulted with associations who legitimately claimed to represent local authorities, and they were unanimous in their demand that the subsidy should be confined to the type of houses already laid down in the Act.
Mr. THOMSONIf the right hon. Gentleman finds, on further inquiry, that the municipal associations do not on this particular point represent the feelings of local authorities, will he reconsider the matter?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYIf the associations of local authorities make representations to me to that effect, I shall certainly view them with the utmost sympathy.
An HON. MEMBERWould it not be possible, where any local authority makes 424 representations, for the Minister to extend it to them?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYNo, I cannot deal with local authorities separately; I must deal with it as a national question.