§ 29. Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health if he will in all future progress reports on housing include not only the number of temporary and permanent houses started and completed, but also the number of those actually occupied.
§ Mr. BevanI hardly think it is necessary to ask local authorities to add this in formation to the very detailed statistics they are already sending me. It is safe to assume that houses today are being occupied as soon as possible after being completed.
§ Mr. BossomDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that if he published these figures it would urge the local authorities to have their houses occupied much more quickly than they do today?
§ Mr. BevanIf the hon. Member knows of any instances where houses are being completed and are not being occupied almost immediately, I will be glad to in quire into the cases, but I consider, quite frankly, that the whole question is purely rhetorical.
§ Captain CrookshankDoes the Minister know of any cases where houses are being completed?
§ Mr. Bevan1 understood quite recently that HON. MEMBERS and the newspapers which are so fervent on their behalf are claiming that private enterprise completes large numbers of houses with the materials and labour that I am supplying.