§ 12. Mr. Maudeasked the Minister of Health whether he will ensure that there is no curtailment of building in any bombed city where the number of houses now standing and occupied is less than the number at the outbreak of the 1939 war.
§ Mr. BevanI would refer the hon. and learned Member to the circular which has now been issued with regard to the housing programme of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. MaudeWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for saying that, might I ask him whether he could not just say either "yes" or "no"?
§ Mr. Eric FletcherWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that people affected are very concerned about this matter and will he give an assurance that the Government will continue to make housing an absolute priority in the use of housing materials?
§ Mr. BevanIt is not possible to make any material an absolute priority. "Priority" is a relative term and can apply to other categories as well. As the House knows, we are still maintaining a very large housing programme.
§ Mrs. MiddletonCan the Minister tell the House whether there are in fact outside the London area, any blitzed cities that have not constructed, under the Government housing programme, as many houses as were destroyed during the war?
§ Mr. BevanOver the country as a whole there are, of course, very many more units of accommodation in existence than there were before the war, and that is having regard to the rise in the population in the meantime. I am not quite sure whether that would not apply to Exeter as well.
§ Brigadier RaynerCannot the right hon. Gentleman throw off his ideological intolerance a bit and let private enterprise get on with the job?