46. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Health, in view of the uncertainty still existing in the minds of local authorities as to the housing subsidy payable after 1st October, he will issue a circular fully explaining the new position that will then arise, and particularly with reference to houses begun after 1st October and before any new order under Section 5 of the 1924 Housing Act has been made?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Sir Kingsley Wood)My right hon. Friend has had a conference with representatives of local authorities on this subject and hopes [...] meet them again in the near future. In the meantime I do not think I can add anything to the reply given on the 16th instant to a question put by the hon. Member for the Shipley Division.
Mr. THOMSONCan the Parliamentary Secretary reply to the definite points con tamed in the last part of my question, as to what is going to happen to houses begun after the 1st October?
§ Sir K. WOODI think, if I may say so, that the hon. Member misunderstands the position. Under the Act of Parliament the Minister of Health after 1st October has to give reconsideration to the question of the subsidy, and it is obviously impossible for the Minister to announce now what is to happen after the 1st October.
Mr. THOMSONIn the meantime, what is the position of those local authorities who wish to carry on a continuous programme of building houses after the 1st October?
§ Sir K. WOODThe answer to that question is that any house substantially begun before the 1st October will rank for the present subsidy. Inasmuch as this duty has been cast upon my right hon. Friend, he obviously cannot slate what is to happen after that particular date.
§ Mr. TAYLORCan the lion. Gentleman say whether, in cases where local authorities are engaged on a scheme which comprises a considerable number of houses, that their commitments will be fully honoured as far as the subsidy is concerned, and that the Government will not draw the line at a particular house, but will deal with the scheme as a whole?
§ Sir K. WOODI think the answer to that is that my right hon. Friend has already gone as far as he can under the terms of this Statute, and he has informed a large number of local authorities that any house which is substantially begun before the 1st October will rank for the subsidy, but inasmuch as Parliament has put the duty of reconsidering the 367 matter upon him after the 1st October, he obviously cannot come to that decision until that date has passed.
§ Mr. MARCHDoes that include schemes which have already been tabulated by the local authorities, and presented to the Minister of Health for consideration?
§ Sir K. WOODYes, Sir, as long as the house is substantially begun before the 1st October.
§ Sir K. WOODIf there are any schemes awaiting sanction perhaps the hon. Member will inform me.
§ Sir J. NALLIs the hon. Member aware of the fact that the larger authorities find it necessary to arrange for a continuous programme, and that they cannot do that until some provisional decision is arrived at by the Minister in order to avoid a gap arising in building schemes; and will he ask the Minister of Health to expedite some provisional announcement on this subject?
§ Sir K. WOODNo, Sir. It is impossible for my right hon. Friend to do so. This House in 1924 passed an Act of Parliament which stated that the Minister of Health was to reconsider the matter in October, therefore in order to deal with the question as best he can and encourage house building he has stated that any house substantially begun before that date will rank for the present subsidy, but he cannot come to any decision until after that date, and he is required to do that by Statute.
§ Sir J. NALLDoes that mean that houses must not be started in October until some decision is arrived at?
§ Sir K. WOODWhat it means is that any house which has been substantially begun before the 1st October will receive the present subsidy. After that date my right hon. Friend will come to an immediate decision. As I have already 368 stated, he has had a preliminary conference with the local authorities for that purpose.
§ Mr. J. H. THOMASCan the Parliamentary Secretary state specifically whether a scheme sanctioned by the Minister can afterwards be disregarded as far as subsidy is concerned if it is not started?
§ Sir K. WOODYes, Sir, because that scheme would be subject to the Act of Parliament like any other scheme.
§ Several hon. Members rose—