§ 40. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for War the reasons for the delay of six months in allocating for use 51 huts in Shugborough Park, Milford, Staffordshire; and if he will immediately release the remaining 14 huts on this site.
§ Mr. LawsonIt was planned to use this site as a prisoner of war hospital and it was earmarked and reserved for that purpose but many alterations had to be carried out. As I informed my hon. Friend on 12th July, the 14 surplus huts are already in process of release.
§ Mr. SwinglerWhy does it take six months for my right hon. Friend's Department to make a decision about a few huts?
§ Mr. LawsonSometimes I find it is almost as difficult to get rid of some of these things as it is to get them.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs my right hon. Friend aware that it would be quite easy to get rid of these huts in the locality, where there is a tremendous demand for huts at the moment?
§ Mr. JenningsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of these huts which his Department is holding could, with a little adaptation, be very useful in the housing shortage in this country? In particular, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to look at the huts around Sheffield and collaborate with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, and so relieve the distressing housing problem in Sheffield?
§ Mr. LawsonYes, Sir, we do as much as we can in that respect—[An HON. MEMBER: "Not much."]—but the hon. Gentleman and others in the House should remember that something like 200,000 Polish soldiers are being put upon the War Office to resettle, and we have to take that into consideration.
§ Mr. JenningsThese places are empty.