HC Deb 10 February 1948 vol 447 cc189-91
8. Mr. Willis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the date of the completion of the temporary housing programme in Scotland, as given in Cmd. 7304, is several months later than the date given for England and Wales.

Mr. Woodburn

The main reason is that Scotland took up more than one-fifth of the total programme and is building more temporary houses than England and Wales in proportion both to the population and the available labour.

Mr. Thornton Kemsley

Does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that dates for the completion of housing schemes, either in Scotland or in England, just do not mean a thing to this Government?

Mr. Woodburn

The trouble is that we have to rely on private enterprise to build the houses and, naturally, they, like the Government, have to depend on materials and labour.

Mr. Willis

Can my right hon. Friend say what special steps are being taken to get on with this matter in the future when, according to the answer given last week, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 temporary houses in store?

Mr. Woodburn

There have been shortages of glass, due to some physical accidents, and there have been shortages of hard wall plaster and several other components. That has held up the houses. Pressure is being brought to bear on all the private enterprise firms concerned to make the best of the situation and, needless to say, no time will be lost in getting these houses completed.

Mr. Bossom

Are any of these houses being held up for lack of timber?

Mr. Woodburn

Not so much now. It is hard wall plaster and glass which are the main elements causing delay in the completion of houses at the moment.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is the Ministry of Works at Edinburgh which is at the basis of most of the trouble?

Mr. Woodburn

I am not aware of that. I shall be surprised if the hon. Member can produce any evidence to support his statement.

9. Mr. Willis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the dates at which contracts for the Orlit House were placed; the dates at which the first houses in fulfilment of these contracts were conpleted; and the subsequent rate of completion.

Mr. Woodburn

The answer involves a table of figures and, with the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Willis

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the rate of completion of these houses is about five per month over the past two years, does he not think it is

Local Authority. Number of Houses Contracted for. Date Contract Placed. Progress.
Date. Number of Houses completed.
Edinburgh 410 23rd August, 1945 1.1.47 4
15.1.47 6
12.3.47 14
16.4.47 28
7.5.47 32
4.6.47 40
25.6.47 48
16.7.47 52
6.8.47 56
19.9.47 64
10.10.37 72
7.11.47 90
28.11.47 102
31.1.48 126
Stirling County 90 21st May, 1946. 28.11.47 4
16.1.48 6
31.1.48 8
File County 22 24th May, 1946. 31.1.48 Nil
Scottish Housing Group (Various Authorities). 2,800 16.12.47 3
31.1.48 4

Up to date, a total of 138 Orlit houses have been completed in Scotland, and 1,708 are under construction.