South-West Region

HC Deb 20 March 1947 vol 435 cc577-8

38. Mr. Maude

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, at a special meeting, on 7th February, of the Regional Building Committee, the principal housing officer stated that the allocation of houses to be completed by the local authorities in the south-western region during 1947 would be considerably less than the original programme, the programme of the three areas of special need, Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth, being substantially reduced; that the allocation of houses to be approved in the region during 1947 was fixed; and whether he will now state the figures for the original programme and the 1947 programme, and recognise the special need of Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth by adding to the labour force there, to ensure a substantial increase in the houses constructed during the next 12 months.

Mr. J. Edwards

No, Sir. The statement made was that it would not be possible to make the substantial addition to the programmes upon which local authorities were already engaged which most of them were apparently contemplating. I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 22 of the White Paper on the Housing Programme for 1947 and to the circular to local authorities on the subject, a copy of which I am sending him. Individual programmes are examined with representatives of the local authorities at zonal conferences, having regard to the contracts already let, and to the labour likely to be available. I am informed that agreement on the programme practicable was reached at the Plymouth conference. The Exeter and Bristol conferences are being held in the near future.

Mr. Maude

While thanking the Parliamentary Secretary for the information which he has given us, I would ask him whether, in view of the almost intolerable worry of housing in the specially blitzed areas, he will keep under constant review in the next few weeks the possibility of helping them in some special way, as is merited by their exceptional difficulties?

Mr. Edwards

I am at the present time giving special attention to the problem to which the hon. and learned Member refers.

Mr. Marples

Can the Parliamentary Secretary explain how he can decide the number of houses which a local authority can build when, in answer to a previous question, he could not say how many houses the nation as a whole could build?