§ 8. Mr. Odeyasked the Minister of Health on what grounds his Leeds Housing Office instructed the Haltem Price Housing Authority to revoke a building licence granted to Mr. E. L. Frost, of Kirkella.
§ Mr. BevanMy regional office raised certain questions about this but did not instruct the local authority to revoke the licence, and indeed had no power to do so. The local authority decided to ask my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works to revoke the licence, but I understand that on reconsideration of the position my right hon. Friend is advising the local authority to issue a further licence.
§ 9. Mr. Odeyasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the current method of granting building licences 511 results in the maximum price being revealed to the builder, and consequently in housing costs being inflated; and if he will adopted an alternative method.
§ Mr. BevanThe licence contains no information unknown to the builder which would result in inflated building costs. The latter part of the Question does not, therefore arise.
§ Mr. OdeyWould the Minister bear in mind in this connection that the original estimate was subsequently reduced by £250? Is it not clear, therefore, that this information is available to the builder and should be withheld in the view of the importance of obtaining reduced prices for building?
§ Mr. LipsonWill the Minister give some guidance to licensing authorities whether he is prepared to agree that housing costs ought to be raised now, as a result of devaluation, because I have heard of one instance where the figure was raised by £250 and that was the reason given?
§ Mr. BevanI do not know whether the hon. Member refers to housing costs or to the prices of second-hand houses.
§ Mr. LipsonNew houses.
§ Mr. BevanWith regard to new houses, there is no evidence at the moment of any rise in prices whatsoever and no one has the right to anticipate the effect of devaluation because no one can yet estimate it exactly.