§ 53. Sir Leonard Lyleasked the Minister of Health if, taking any type of rural house built under his 3,000 schemes, he will analyse the costs under such building as labour, materials, etc.
§ Mr. WillinkThe councils by whom houses have been built under this scheme have invited their contractors to supply details of the cost of labour and materials. At present such information has been received for 32 parlour houses, and this indicates that, on average, labour represented 42 per cent. and materials 58 per cent. of the building costs of these houses.
§ 54. Mr. Linsteadasked the Minister of Health whether he proposes generally to adopt the recommendations in the Third Report of the Rural Housing Sub-Committee of the Central Housing Advisory Committee.
§ Mr. WillinkYes, Sir. The report is being published to-day and I am issuing to local authorities a circular asking them to co-operate in establishing the joint 926 county committees on rural housing which are the subject of one of the principal recommendations in this report. I am also asking them to proceed as soon as circumstances permit with the thorough and comprehensive survey of rural housing conditions which is recommended as a basis for the long-term housing programme. The financial recommendations in the report are being considered in the consultations as to the nature and amount of Exchequer subsidies which are proceeding with the Associations of local authorities. I hope in due course to be submitting to Parliament the Government's proposals for the amendment of the Housing (Rural Workers') Acts on the lines recommended. The recommendations regarding extensions of rural water supplies are covered by proposals which are already before the House.
§ Mr. Edgar GranvilleDoes that mean that we are going to get agricultural workers' cottages in the near future, at a rent the workers can afford?
§ Mr. WillinkI hope that we shall get agricultural workers' cottages but I cannot commit myself to the near future.
§ Mr. GranvilleAt a rent they can afford?