§ 51. Sir Irving Alberyasked the Prime Minister whether he will explain the Ministerial chain of responsibility for urgent post-war housing and state which Minister will be directly or mainly responsible for this action?
§ Mr. AttleeThe primary responsibility will continue to rest with the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Ministry of Works giving to these two Departments technical advice on design, methods of construction and 1445 building materials. The proposals for a post-war housing programme must, of course, be co-ordinated with the rest of the Government's plans for reconstruction in the years immediately following the end of the war, and this will be one of the duties of my noble Friend the Minister of Reconstruction.
§ Sir I. AlberyMay we understand that in that case the Minister of Town and Country Planning is not concerned?
§ Mr. AttleeThe Minister of Town and Country Planning is not primarily concerned with this particular function.
§ Sir I. AlberyAre we not compelled to understand that no Minister is actually and directly responsible for post-war housing?
§ Mr. AttleeNo, Sir, quite the contrary.