§ 23. Mr. Snaddenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of grants under the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts, were made in the counties of Perth and Kinross, respectively, up to the outbreak of war, to persons in respect of houses in which they themselves live as owners or by feu.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Buchanan)Approximately 3 per cent. and 5.5 per cent. of the grants made in the counties of Perth and Kinross, respectively, up to the outbreak of war were to persons in respect of houses in which they themselves lived as owner-occupiers.
§ 32. Mr. Hoyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reorganise the Scottish Special Housing Association; and when a statement on the matter may be expected.
§ Mr. BuchananI have had this matter under consideration and will make a statement as soon as I am in a position to do so.
§ Mr. KirkwoodIs not the Secretary of State of the opinion that this organisation is of no use to us in Scotland at all?
§ Mr. BuchananI have been examining this matter since I took office. My hon. Friend must bear in mind that I am not the Secretary of State for Scotland. However, I have examined this matter myself and I hope, now that the Secretary of State will soon be returning, to be able to make a statement at an early date.
§ Major Guy LloydIs it not a fact that every organisation in Scotland that is in a position to build houses ought to receive every encouragement?
§ Mr. BuchananNobody dissents from that. The point is, is this the most effective body, and is it as effective as it should be? That is the issue, and I hope to make a statement on that at an early date.
38. Mr. McKieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of houses in Wigtownshire reconditioned under the Rural Housing Acts.
§ Mr. BuchananAt 30th June, 1945, the latest date for which figures are available, 116 houses had been reconditioned under these Acts in Wigtownshire.
Mr. McKieIs the hon. Gentleman aware that, although these figures are not good and much more might be done, the discontinuance of the assistance provided under the Rural Housing Acts in a poor rateable county like Wigtownshire may result in even worse housing conditions being available for the people?
§ Mr. BuchananAs an old Parliamentarian I cannot debate that question now. All I would say is that all of the 116 houses reconditioned in Wigtownshire were owned by landlords and not one by an owner-occupier.
§ Mr. KirkwoodIs not the Under-Secretary aware that this business is only a scientific method of subsidising the landlords?
65. Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchisonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, what are the present numbers of completed temporary houses in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, respectively.
§ Mr. BuchananThe numbers of temporary houses completed in Glasgow and Dundee are 55 and 6o respectively. No houses have so far been completed in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
§ 70. Mrs. Jean Mannasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of temporary houses completed and occupied in Scotland at this date; the number expected to be in occupancy by 31st December; the number for 31st March 1946; and the proportion at each date allocated in Coatbridge.
§ Mr. Buchanan255 houses have been completed. The Ministry of Works, who are responsible for the erection of these houses, estimate that by 31st December this number will have increased to 750 and by 31st March, to 5,000 houses. The corresponding figures for Coatbridge are nil; 5; and 50.
§ Mrs. MannWill my right hon. Friend recognise that Coatbridge, on account of overcrowding figures and the number of houses unfit for habitation, deserves better treatment than that?
§ Mr. BuchananWhen I saw the Question, I, too, was worried and I have asked my officials to examine the whole position again to see if we cannot improve it.