16. Mr. E. P. Smithasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider giving 50 per cent. of the present subsidies allocated to the local authorities towards houses built by them to private builders, as an experiment to test public control as against private enterprise.
§ Mr. BevanNo, Sir; the great majority of the houses built for local authorities are in fact being built by private builders under contract with the local authority; the letting of these houses to tenants by a public authority makes them available to families in the most urgent need, a result which would not be secured by the proposal of the hon. Member.
Mr. SmithCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether his refusal to consider this suggestion is due to the fact that he is afraid to accept. the challenge implicit in the Question?
§ Mr. BevanWhen the hon. Gentleman reads the report which I am preparing, he will find that the figures there presented are a complete refutation of his insinuation.