19. Viscountess ASTORasked the Secretary for Scotland how many steel houses have been commenced and how many have been completed out of the 2,000 to be built in Scotland on behalf of the Government; whether sites for the total number of houses authorised have now been bought; and how much money has been expended up to date?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs at the 10th instant, 794 of the houses in question had been commenced and of these 38 had been completed. Sites for all the houses authorised have either been bought or feued. The amount expended as at the 16th instant was, approximately, £158,000.
§ Mr. BUCHANANCan the right hon. Gentleman say how the erection of a steel house compares with the erection of a brick house, from the point of view of speed?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI think it is too early to make any calculation of that kind.
§ Mr. BUCHANANWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the speed of erection is anything like so great as he promised us it would be during the Debate on steel houses?
§ Mr. HARDIEHow many of these houses have been occupied, and for how long have they been occupied?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI must obviously have notice of a detail like that.