§ 43. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Health the present estimated number of houses in England and Wales per 1,000 of the population and, for comparison, the corresponding figures at the time of the Censuses of 1911 and 1921?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Ernest Brown)Precisely comparable figures are not available, but the proportions based upon the 1911 and 1921 Census returns were 215 and 212 per 1,000 population respectively, and the corresponding proportion based on the pro visional 1931 Census figures is 244.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the hon. Gentleman say why it is that, while we now have about 15 per cent. more houses in relation to the population than we had 20 years ago, there is still a shortage?
§ Mr. BROWNOne of the elements in the case is the question of the larger number of families. I cannot give the figures for the whole country, but, if my hon. Friend will look at the report of the London County Council Housing Committee, he will find that in Greater London, while the increase in population was 9.7 per cent., the increase in the number of families was 18.8 per cent. That additional increase of 9.1 per cent. in the number of families has to be taken into consideration.