HC Deb 04 February 1947 vol 432 cc1557-8
28. Mr. Henderson Stewart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in respect of how many temporary houses completion during the last four months of 1946 was delayed because sites were then under tillage; how many other sites were ready to receive temporary houses; and why these latter sites were not supplied with the available temporary houses.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Buchanan)

The fact that a number of sites were under tillage in 1946 made it impossible to begin the servicing and slabbing of these sites until towards the end of the year. This delay naturally held up progress, to an extent which cannot be accurately determined, on the erection of the houses on these particular sites, but did not seriously affect the number of houses completed in the last four months of the year. With the exception of the aluminium house, hulls were available to meet contractors' requirements in full. At the end of 1946, 13,268 slabs had been made available for all types of temporary houses except aluminium and 13,153 hulls had been delivered to those sites. More than sufficient hulls were in store to meet all immediate demands. As the aluminium house cannot be stored, a reserve of slabs—amounting to 3,392 at the end of 1946 has been specially built up in anticipation of the period when the house will be in full production.

Mr. Stewart

The hon. Gentleman has said that the number of houses held up on account of the sites being under tillage is not large. How does he reconcile that statement with that which he made a fortnight ago, when he told us that he was short of a large number of sites because they were under tillage?

Mr. Buchanan

I will read the relevant part of that answer again: We could not get into a number of sites because they were under tillage, and it takes some time to service and slab a site. In the City of Edinburgh, almost 2,000 houses were held up because of tillage.

Mr. Stewart

is it not a fact that in the hon. Gentleman's last housing return something like 3,000 local authority sites were then available for temporary houses?

Mr. Buchanan

At the request of this House and of Members opposite, who raised the matter in Debate, we did not force entry on to sites under tillage, because we took the view that although the housing need was great, it would be wrong to interfere with food production.

Mr. Stewart

In view of the unsatisfactory reply, I beg to give notice to raise the matter on the Adjournment.