§ 38. Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will publish a statement, giving the housing programme for 1948 and 1949, respectively, for each of the main industrial cities in the British zone of Germany.
§ Mr. MayhewNo, Sir. All housing programmes are drawn up by the Germans themselves, and owing to the crippling shortage of building materials practically all of them are confined to repairs and maintenance. They are not communicated to the Control Commission and I regret that an unjustifiable expenditure of time and effort would be involved in their collection. The only programme available is the Ruhr miners' two-year housing programme, in which, owing to its economic importance, the Control Commission has had to retain a direct interest. I am sending a copy of this programme to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. StokesCan my hon. Friend say to what extent the general building of new houses is being restricted by this ridiculous programme of dismantling plants which are capable of producing both building machinery and building equipment? He must know that, otherwise he cannot have dismantled any.
§ Mr. MayhewThe dismantling programme, as has often been explained, takes into account the fact that there are not sufficient materials to keep in production the plant dismantled. Therefore, the underlying assumption of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is not valid.
§ Mr. StokesYes, but as no new houses have been built, and as machinery is required for the purpose, and the works for building machinery are being dismantled —how does he tie all that up together? Surely, it is absurd.
§ Mr. MayhewI would not like to carry this argument much further without notice. I do not think that anything the hon. Member has said is inconsistent with my view that shortage of materials could account for all of it, Mr. Stokes: No houses have been produced.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIf the Ruhr miners are to get new houses, will the Minister guarantee that the miners' wives will be given sufficient soap?
§ Mrs. MiddletonIn view of the fact that we are finally responsible for the government of this part of Germany, and of the fact that housing conditions there are so utterly deplorable, cannot the Minister do something to obtain for the House the information on the subject which we ought to have?
§ Mr. MayhewI do not think I can really give an undertaking to provide the facts in respect of housing outside the Ruhr. That is not a matter for the Control Commission, and I believe that the statistics would involve a great deal of expense and labour to acquire, but, on the Ruhr housing programme, I will willingly make the information available and send a copy to my hon. Friend.