HC Deb 11 March 1943 vol 387 cc862-3
53. Brigadier-General Brown

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the grant of £150 for each agricultural cottage built by a local authority will be available to a landowner who is prepared to build similar cottages for agricultural workers?

Mr. Hudson

No, Sir.

Mr. De la Bère

Is not the provision of cottages for agricultural workers the key to the whole agricultural problem? Will my right hon. Friend impress this on the War Cabinet, Who do not seem to be aware of it?

57. Brigadier-General Brown

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the urgent demand for a large number of cottages for agricultural workers and the willingness of many agricultural landowners to build them if they are given financial assistance comparable with that available to local authorities, he will remove the restriction on rents attached to the subsidy under the Housing (Financial Assistance) Act, 1938, increase the reconditioning grant under the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts and expedite the procedure for obtaining licences to build from the Ministry of Works and release of materials from the Ministry of Supply?

Mr. E. Brown

Owing to the many vital calls on the limited amount of labour and materials available, present house-building operations must be severely restricted. The limited programme of agricultural cottages already announced will place a severe strain on available resources, and I am afraid it is not possible to contemplate further building at the present time.

Brigadier-General Brown

In view of the fact that private landowners have built very large numbers of cottages for agricultural workers, cannot the Minister treat them in the same way as he does local authorities?

Mr. Brown

My hon. and gallant Friend will understand that under the present programme it is intended that the new cottages shall be of the maximum benefit to the agricultural community generally and not to individual landowners. That is why the sites are being selected in consultation with county war agricultural executive committees by whom the tenants are for the time being to be nominated.

Brigadier-General Brown

How can a cottage on one farm be available to an agricultural worker on another farm? Are we to understand that the present programme is all the Minister intends to do?

Mr. Brown

My hon. and gallant Friend will understand that I would like to have more labour and material.

Mr. De la Bère

Above all else, let us get all the cottages built.

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