HC Deb 17 October 1946 vol 427 cc1035-7
14. Sir Patrick Hannon

asked the Minister of Health the present position

to put into a habitable state. Perhaps, with regard to the last part of the supplementary question, the hon. Gentleman will read the reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following are the figures:

of the housing programme in Birmingham; and if the Ministries of Works and of Health are in cooperation in the removal of any difficulties which have arisen with the local authority.

21. Mr. Perrins

asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take to deal with the delay in Birmingham's municipal housing programme caused by the city council's inability to accept inflated tenders.

Mr. Bevan

At 30th September 1,848 temporary houses were under construction, including slabbing, and 946 had been completed. Tenders had been approved for 2,172 houses of permanent types, of which 1,013 were under construction and 167 completed. I am aware that tenders for further permanent houses which were recently received were too high for acceptance. In view of the large amount of work outstanding and the large number of houses not yet started in contracts already let, I do not think it is necessary for me to take any action at this stage, and I understand that the council are themselves endeavouring to negotiate satisfactory prices.

Sir P. Hannon

Is the Minister satisfied that every conceivable effort is being made, both by the local authority and his Ministry, to meet the immense number of applications for housing accommodation now, and are the difficulties, which arose a short time ago between the Ministry of Works and his Ministry, now adjusted?

Mr. Bevan

The matter under consideration at the moment is the fact that the council have received tenders which are, in fact, too high. The delay in negotiating lower tenders is not really resulting in the production of fewer houses, because there are more houses already under contract than the local labour can manage.

Mr. Perrins

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these tenders were at least £250 higher than the previous tenders, and that, in consequence, Birmingham City Council are being subjected to what might properly be described as a builders' ramp?

Mr. Bevan

I think Birmingham City Council, from my own experience of it, can be trusted to deal with any conspiracy which may exist.

Mr. Awbery

Would the right hon. Gentleman circularise local authorities to set up public works departments of their own, so that they can build houses, and so remove profits now obtained by contractors, and ensure, at the same time, better quality houses?

Mr. Bevan

Where a local authority have a housing programme sufficiently large to warrant it, and where they can satisfy me that they can establish an efficient direct labour department, we have, in fact, encouraged them to do so.

Mr. Osborne

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken any steps to keep these estimates down?

Mr. Bevan

Steps have already been taken to keep estimates down. Hon. Members opposite throughout the whole of last winter and the spring of this year were attacking me because I was resisting high tenders and accusing me, thereby, of not getting the houses, because I was resisting high tenders. We shall resist tenders which are unreasonably high.