§ 44. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Health whether it is still the 1085 policy of His Majesty's Government to encourage private persons to undertake housing schemes for persons of the working classes, especially schemes for the provision of houses and flats to let; and whether every encouragement will be given by the Government to facilitate the carrying out of such schemes by private enterprise?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Shakespeare)Yes, Sir. The Government look to private enterprise as the chief source of supply of dwellings to meet the general needs of the working-class population and hope to see an increasing proportion of small houses and flats for letting among the dwellings provided by private enterprise. The Government are certainly ready to encourage the activities of private enterprise in this direction and to give them all practicable assistance.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the hon. Member aware that certain local authorities when they see an owner developing his own property for letting in working-class houses or flats, serve him with a compulsory order to purchase the site so that they, rather than a private individual, may get the credit of the improvement.