§ 61. Mr. WELLOCKasked the Minister of Health the number of houses at present under construction or sanctioned under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 and the number for the corresponding period of last year; and the number of houses completed in each of the last three months?
§ Sir K. WOODAt the 1st May last the latest date for which statistics are available, the number of houses under construction in connection with schemes under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 was 57,992, and the number sanctioned but not started was 86,985. The corresponding numbers on the 1st May, 1927, were 117,491 and 106,580 respectively. The numbers of houses completed under the Acts during each of the three months ending in April last were 6,623, 7,180, and 7,469 respectively.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSIs the right hon. Gentleman content to have a 50 per cent. decrease in the number this year as compared with last year?
§ Sir K. WOODWe should like to see much more progress, and I hope we shall have every assistance in that direction.
§ 66. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Minister of Health the number of houses that hav3 been constructed under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 since the reduction of the subsidy, as compared with the average number in the three preceding years?
§ Sir K. WOODSince the 1st October, 1927, 51,531 houses had been completed under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 up to the 1st May, 1928. The average number completed during the same period in the three preceding years was 68,713.
§ Sir W. DAVISONHas the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to the fact that on the London County Council estate at Becontree, 600 or 700 houses are to let? Does not that show that the shortage has been met to a considerable extent?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is another matter, which does not arise on this question.