§ 1. Mr. Rogersasked the Minister of Health how many permanent houses have been completed in the boroughs of Kensington, Westminster, Chelsea, Hampstead and St. Marylebone, respectively.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Aneurin Bevan)I would refer my hon. Friend to the Housing Return, 31st December, 1948.
§ Mr. RogersIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Kensington Tories are trying to blame their bad housing record on him, by alleging that he has been guilty of discrimination in favour of the Labour boroughs? Will he refute that slander?
§ Mr. BevanI have not heard what individual Tories or anybody else have been saying about this but that is, of course, without any foundation whatsoever. There is no discrimination between one local authority and another, and I doubt very much whether the local authorities concerned will officially say there has been.
§ Mr. KeelingWill the Minister agree that it takes much longer to build blocks of flats in built-up areas than to build houses on vacant sites? Will he also 506 agree that at least in the City of West minister there has been no lack of keenness to build flats?
§ Mr. BevanObviously it is more difficult to build blocks of flats, especially when there are difficulties about sites. There should be, of course, comparison of like with like. I am not aware myself of any resistance on the part of local authorities.