HC Deb 01 March 1945 vol 408 cc1542-3
23. Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Minister of health in what circumstances he has refused permission to the Shipston-on-Stour Rural District Council to erect temporary houses designed by the council's surveyor, to be built at an estimated cost of £300.

Mr. Willink

The basis of the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act is that temporary dwellings should be provided by the Government. I have no power to approve temporary dwellings other than within the terms of the Act, and I could not in any event approve the provision of sub-standard structures as proposed to be erected by the Rural District Council.

Mr. Brown

In view of the chronic and acute shortage of houses, if any local authority in Britain can erect accommodation at any figure lower than that which the Government propose to spends, does not the Minister think that we should positively encourage them and not hold them back?

Mr. Willink

I think my hon. Friend is not quite up-to-date in this matter. The rural district council to which he refers has been asked what number of Government temporary houses it wants, but it has not yet replied.

Mr. De la Bère

Does the Minister realise that part of Shipston-on-Stour comes into the Evesham Division, and that the Member for Evesham is most interested in these matters?

Mr. Brown

Granted that what the Minister says is true, assuming they can provide some houses of their own, would not that enable him to give some of the others to somebody else and so speed up the whole process? What is the difficulty?

Mr. Willink

The difficulty in this particular case is that the Government as a whole cannot approve the standard suggested by this rural district council.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say in what respect these proposed houses are sub-standard?

Mr. Willink

No, Sir, not in detail, without notice.

Mr. De la Bère

Is the Minister aware that the Member for Evesham is most interested in these matters?

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