§ 47. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Prime Minister how many houses have been built in the Irish Free State by the Sailors and Soldiers' Land Trust, and what portion of the original grant of £1,500,000 remains unexpended; and how many more houses still remain to be built and what will be the further cost to carry out in full the British Government's pledges?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have been asked to take this question. I am informed that up to the 31st October last 1,747 cottages for ex-service men hail been completed in the Irish Free State, and 274 cottages were under construction at that date. The former figure includes the cottages built (at a cost of £2,071,000) under the provisions of the Irish Land (Provision for Sailors and Soldiers) Act, 1919, before the Land Trust, which was constituted on the 1st January, 1924, came into being. The sum finally handed over to the Land Trust was £1,300,000. The unexpended balance in the Capital Accounts of the Trust is £606,000, of which £442,000 is available for operations in the Irish Free State and £164,000 for Northern Ireland. The Trustees expect to be able to build about 600 more cottages in the Irish Free State besides completing those now under construction. As regards the last part of the question, the sum handed over to the Trust was paid in full and final settlement of all claims on His Majesty's Treasury.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYDid not the British Government make a promise, in view of the fact that in Ireland there was no compulsion, to build houses for ex-soldiers after the War?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThat point is covered by the last sentence in the answer which I have just given.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that only a very small number have been built?