Stornoway (Hansard, 15 October 1946)

§ 9. Mr. M. MacMillan
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why some of the now completed permanent houses in Stornoway are not yet available for occupation; and what steps are being taken to end this delay in view of the urgency of local housing needs.

§ Mr. Buchanan
I am informed that all the houses in Stornoway which have been completed are occupied. There are, however, 26 houses which are complete except for a few essential fittings. I have obtained a note of the materials required and every effort is being made to ensure delivery as speedily as possible.

§ Mr. MacMillan
Is my hon. Friend aware that these houses cannot be occupied because of the lack of essential fittings for bathrooms, kitchen sinks and so on, which are in ample supply in Ministry of Works stores, and will he take steps to see that this does not happen again?

§ Mr. Buchanan
This is the first I have heard of that. If my hon. Friend had communicated to me where these articles were lying in store, I would have taken steps to have them taken out of store and put into the houses. I have done my best to find out what materials are available, and I have taken the most urgent steps to see that they are delivered as speedily as possible.

§ Mr. MacMillan
May I be assured that my hon. Friend does not expect me to supersede in their functions the Scottish Office and the Ministry of Works?

§ Mr. Buchanan
I do not expect my hon. Friend to supersede the Ministry of Works, but I expect him to inform me if he knows where these articles are, and to that extent help his constituents.

§ Mr. MacMillan
How can my hon. Friend charge me by implication with having neglected my constituents in this respect when he has been out of touch with the local councils with respect to these questions for six months?

§ Mr. Buchanan
Far from being out of touch, I went up to Dingwall and met the county council on their own home ground. I made an offer to them which was an improvement on any suggestion which had been made hitherto. Since then I have been in constant touch, continually pressing them for a site. I think that those people who elect the local authority ought to give me a much better one with which to work.