9. Mr. Vaneasked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what grounds he continues to give priority to new houses over old houses for connection to the electric mains, even where applications have been outstanding for many years and where no alternative method of lighting is available.
§ Mr. ShinwellIt is obviously essential to instal modern methods of lighting when building new houses. With the present shortage of materials, this is bound to mean that some older houses cannot immediately be supplied with electric lighting in substitution for other forms of lighting.
Mr. VaneIs the Minister aware that that ruling is extremely unfair to many people with older houses who put in applications some time before the war?
§ Mr. ShinwellObviously, new houses are not of much value to potential users unless supplied with lighting and heating, and therefore we have to allow for the necessary installations to be made. In the case of older types of houses, some means of heating or lighting is available, even if they are not completely modernised, and they are better off than a new house would be without them.