§ 35. Commander Agnewasked the Minister of Health why he caused his principal regional officer to write in July, 1949, to the Truro Rural District Council to warn them that they could expect a very small allocation only of houses for 1950, especially if they insisted on building none other than traditional houses; and why the council has been allocated only eight houses for a population of 27,000.
§ Mr. BevanThe allocation was based on the actual building rate in the rural district and the work still outstanding on the 34 houses under construction and the 2183 52 approved but not started. The local authority was offered additional nontraditional houses because these would make a smaller demand on the local building resources.
§ Commander AgnewDoes not the Minister think that this local authority has a good housing record since the war in that nearly 200 houses have been built in the rural district, and can he see his way to increase the allocation and make it more comparable with that allowed to other rural districts in the same county?
§ Mr. BevanI cannot understand the hon. and gallant Member's supplementary in view of the fact that in my reply I have already said that 52 houses have been approved but not started.
§ Commander AgnewIs the Minister aware that there are a number of houses which are going to be completed under the outstanding programme, but that the local authority is only to be allowed to begin eight new ones in 1950, and that is what they take exception to?
§ Mr. BevanLet the local authority get on with the houses for which approval to build has been given, and when it makes progress with those houses, we shall look at further allocations.