§ 16. Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Minister of Health the number of houses built, respectively, by local authorities and by private enterprise since 1919 up to September last?
Sir H. YOUNGThe number of houses built in England and Wales by local authorities from 1919 to the 30th September, 1931, is 618,547. Complete particulars of the houses built by private enterprise during the same period are not yet available, but the number is approximately 1,135,100, exclusive of houses having a rateable value exceeding £78 (or £105 in the Metropolitan area). Houses erected by local authorities in replacement of houses demolished under improvement schemes made prior to the Act of 1930 are not included in these figures.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODSeeing that there has never been so many house builders unemployed for the last seven years, will the Government get ahead with building houses?
Viscountess ASTORIs it not true that unemployment in the building trade went up 50 per cent. as soon as the late Labour Government came in?