5. Mr. McKieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the numbers of houses and their cost built for county or Ministry officials since January, 1946, in the parishes of Kirkcudbright and Kelton in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
§ Mr. WoodburnI am informed that no houses built by the local authority in these parishes have been let either to county or to Government officials as such. One or two houses have been let to junior county employees who were entitled to them because of their position on the waiting list. Since January, 1946, licences have been issued for the building by private enterprise of two houses for county officials and one house for a technical officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The licensed costs of these houses were £1,300, £1,450 and £1,700, respectively.
Mr. McKieMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that in two of these cases the amount expended exceeded the authorised limit and there has been considerable dissatisfaction among the rate-payers of the district? Will he take steps to show his disapproval of this kind of thing in the future?
§ Mr. WoodburnI think it would be the duty of the hon. Member, if he has information of that kind, to bring it to my attention in the proper way.