§ 25. Major GLYNasked the Minister of Health how many parishes in the 598 rural districts are agricultural parishes within the meaning of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, Section 2 (2); and what proportion is this number to the total number of parishes?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI regret that the information in the complete form asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend is not available, and could only be obtained by the expenditure of considerable time and labour. The matter has, however, been investigated for a number of counties of representative type, and the results show an average of 80 per cent. of the rural parishes in those counties to be agricultural parishes within the definition quoted.
§ Mr. PALINGCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many parishes have taken advantage of the 1924 Act?
§ 26. Major GLYNasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the early introduction of legislation to amend the 784 Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, in order that the definition of an agricultural parish under Section 2 (2) of that Act may be altered and enable more parishes to take advantage of that Act for the provision of houses at rents which the people can afford to pay, in view of the fact that in one rural district council area in a typical agricultural part of the country out of the 33 parishes in the district only five are agricultural within the meaning of the Act?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Clause defining agricultural parishes was debated at considerable length during the passage of the 1924 Housing Bill, and Amendments were made which had the effect of considerably widening the scope of the Clause as originally drafted. I am afraid that it will not be possible to promote further legislation on this subject.