HC Deb 24 October 1946 vol 428 cc8-9
4. Mr. Derek Walker-Smith

asked the Minister of Health whether any earlier publication of the Monthly Housing Return can be expected.

Mr. Bevan

Every effort is made to prepare and publish the Monthly Housing Return are quickly as possible, and in view of the work involved I doubt whether earlier publication is possible.

33 Mr. Walker-Smith

Does the Minister appreciate that, in the Debate on Scottish housing on 10th October, the Secretary of State for Scotland was able to use the figures up to 2nd October, whereas in the the Debate on English housing on 21st October, the House had to content itself with figures only up to 31st August?

Mr. Bevan

It is possible for the Scottish Office, and indeed for the Ministry of Health, to give some of the figures earlier, but obviously it would be intolerable if we anticipated the returns before they were fully published. It really would be nonsense to publish them at all if the figures were anticipated. Every return would be an anti-climax if the figures were published before the returns were actually produced. What hon. Members are asking for is that by Question and answer in the House we should issue the Monthly Return.

Mr. Walker-Smith

Would it not have been as well if the right hon. Gentleman, or somebody else for the Government, had warned the House to discount the partial figures of the Secretary of State for Scotland?

Mr. Bevan

The figures, I understand, were not partial. They were accurate in respect of the actual categories to which they referred, but they were not complete. Hon. Members are continually asking me to put additional figures in the returns, and that must mean delay. I am hoping in a very short time to include in the Monthly Return all figures for the production of building materials. Obviously, it would be impossible to anticipate these every time in order to try to satisfy the yearning and malicious curiosity of hon. Members.

Mr. Shurmer

Is it not a fact that the Opposition have continually asked for houses and not figures? They are getting the houses, so never mind the figures.

Sir William Darling

Is it not the case that the figures for Scotland are more easy to accumulate because the number of houses built in Scotland is even fewer than the number in England?