§ 22. Mr. Craven-Ellisasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there are in the United Kingdom 4,607,679 houses which were 80 to 254 years old in 1941 the great majority of which have passed their economic life and, therefore, are due for demolition; and will the Government's post-war policy for better housing be sufficiently comprehensive to cover organised demolition and replacement of these houses.
§ Mr. WillinkI am aware that there is a large number of very old houses in this country. As I have already stated, the programme for the building of 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 houses in the ten to twelve years after the war involves the replacement of slum dwellings and of dwellings in a poor condition or grossly deficient in modern amenities.
§ Mr. Craven-EllisIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that I am referring not to slum dwellings but to those which have passed their economic life, and is he not prepared to announce a national policy which will deal with the whole of the housing and the building industry?
§ Mr. WillinkI think the hon. Member will find that my answer deals with buildings that have passed their economic life.