§ 17. Mr. Derek Walker-Smithasked the Minister of Health what is the total number of houses so far built by private enterprise builders under their own own specifications for sale to local authorities, in accordance with the provisions of his Department's Circular 92/46; and whether he will separately include such totals in the Housing Returns and the figures for individual local authorities in Appendix B thereof.
§ Mr. BevanThe number is 1,467. I will consider including information on this point in the monthly return.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithWill that include the individual local authorities in Appendix B, which is very important?
§ Mr. BevanI think it would be an unreasonable amount of work to include each local authority. The monthly housing returns are already very bulky indeed. In these days we ought not to ask for more clerical work to be done on these matters.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithDoes not the Minister agree that it is only by including the figures for the individual local authorities in Appendix B that hon. Members will have the opportunity of seeing which, if any, local authorities are not trying to put this scheme into operation?
§ Mr. BevanI think it is a pertectly proper point, and I will see how much additional work is involved and weigh that against the advantage of the information.