§ 28. Viscount SANDONasked the Minister of Health whether in view of the position which has arisen at Becontree, where there are 600 newly-erected houses for which neither tenants nor purchasers can be found, he will say what action it is proposed to take in future to ensure that public money is not spent on building houses where they are not needed?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am informed that certain abnormal circumstances accounted for over 600 houses at one time being empty on the Becontree Housing Estate, but that the number has now been considerably reduced, and that the question of the future development of this estate is under consideration by the London County Council. In the meantime, I do not think I am called upon to take any action in the matter.
§ Mr. HARRISIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the percentage of letting is now normal, and that, as the houses have been turned out very rapidly, running into hundreds, there is no abnormal number of empties?