59. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Middlesbrough Corporation, under their direct labour scheme for house building, secured an output of over 1,000 bricks laid per day; and will he encourage local authorities to employ direct labour in their building schemes so as to obtain a more rapid production of houses?
§ Mr. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAINMy attention has been drawn to a report in the Press on the direct labour housing scheme carried out by the Middlesbrough Corporation, in which it is stated that 1,000 bricks per day were laid by bricklayers on straightforward work. I am quite prepared to authorise local authorities to undertake building by direct labour if satisfied that the authority can make efficient arrangements for the supervision of the work, and that the method is likely to prove financially advantageous to the ratepayers.