§ 54. Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Minister of Production whether the Government are now prepared to lift the ban on the building of new houses; if not, will he collect from the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Ministers of Health and Agriculture the latest figures of the numbers of houses immediately required for the housing of the population; from the Ministries of Labour and Works the figures of the skilled and unskilled labourers now available for the erection of houses; from the Ministry of Supply the amount of suitable material available; and publish these figures so that this House can have an informed Debate on the subject?
§ Mr. LytteltonThe shortages of labour and of certain materials make it impossible to undertake at the present time the building of more houses than are included in the limited special schemes at present in operation. So far as Scotland is concerned, these schemes are, of course, supplementary to the arrangements for completing the 3,000 houses begun before the war. In addition, as the hon. Member will recall, approval has recently been given to a scheme for the erection of emergency housing accommodation on Clydeside. Arrangements have just been made to give the first call on immobile building labour, after war requirements have been met, to work on essential house repair and conversion and the completion of unfinished houses, and the necessary materials have been allocated for this purpose. As soon as more labour and materials can be made available without interfering with direct war requirements, more housing work will be undertaken.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the Minister not prepared to supply to the House the information asked for in this Question, and are he and the Government aware of the fact that this preliminary scheme meets only a fraction of the very urgent and 877 desperate need for houses, not only in Clydebank but the whole of Scotland? Are the Minister and the Government not aware of the almost catastrophic condition of the housing problem in Scotland, and will he supply figures of the material asked for in this Question?
§ Mr. LytteltonThese emergency measures I have outlined are designed to relieve this acute situation.
§ Mr. GallacherWhat about the information asked for? The Minister has not dealt with the Question. Will he supply the information as to the material and man-power available, as asked for in the Question?
§ Mr. SloanIs the Minister aware of the serious effect that lack of housing has on the production of coal in Scotland, and is he aware that coal production in Scotland could be stepped up considerably if there were houses, and would he take that fact into account in considering the matter?
§ Mr. LytteltonYes, Sir. These emergency measures are designed with that in mind.
§ Mr. KirkwoodArising out of the original reply, which was entirely unsatisfactory, the Question was asked in such a way in order that we might get information about the material and labour required. The Question was put originally to the Prime Minister to collect that information so that we could have an intelligent Debate on the subject on the Floor of the House. The Minister has not given that information. [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."] I want him to give us that information, and at the same time I would ask whether he would give us temporary houses; we do not ask for new houses. [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."] But we want temporary houses. After Question Time I shall seek to move the Adjournment of the House on this question.
§ Mr. LytteltonI thought I had already given the hon. Member an answer that plans have just been authorised for the erection of temporary houses on Clyde-side. Much of the information for which the hon. Member asks cannot be supplied.
§ Mr. KirkwoodIs the right hon. Gentleman in a position to give Clydeside any 878 idea of how many temporary houses we may expect this year? We have lost 4,000 houses completely destroyed and we have not 100 houses to replace them.