§ 20. Mr. McKinlayasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works if he will state the number of plans submitted to the Burt Committee showing alternative methods of house construction and the number of such plans which have been approved.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. Hicks)It is understood that 249 suggestions have been made to the Burt Committee for new methods of construction, uses of materials and types of equipment. The Committee have recommended the granting of licences or other facilities necessary for full-scale experiments to be carried out in 36 cases, excluding work being carried out by the Ministry.
§ Mr. McKinlayIs not my hon. Friend aware that I am not asking him for the number of suggestions but for the number of plans that have been approved?
§ Mr. HicksI am afraid that my hon. Friend will have to be satisfied with my answer. There are only 36 which have gone through the Burt Committee and been approved and they are not all plans, but parts of plans. Others have been experimental houses which have been agreed, and are being erected by private enterprise and by local authorities.
§ Mr. McKinlayI wanted to know the number of plans which have been submitted. Surely that is a simple question and my hon. Friend can give me a simple answer.
§ Mr. HicksIt depends upon what my hon. Friend means by "plan," whether it is a plan for internal fittings or for a whole house. There have been 249 suggestions altogether. Local authorities are building full scale houses and private enterprise is also doing it.
§ Mr. McKinlayCannot my hon. Friend give me an intelligible answer?