§ 39. Mr. Profumoasked the Minister of Health whether his Department has completed the sorting of live applications for houses as the result of the information he received, following his Department's Circular No. 171/48 of 10th November, 1948; and whether he will inform the local authorities of the result.
§ Mr. BevanI would refer the hon. Member to the reply- given to Questions on this subject on 9th March, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. ProfumoIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this matter has now been occupying his Department for some 17 months? Is it not true that the whole scheme is abortive, and a very good example of what my hon. Friends on this side of the House refer to as wasteful Government expenditure?
§ Mr. BevanI do not know what the hon. Gentleman means by " scheme.' This was an attempt to find out the housing needs by reviewing the housing lists. It was, however, discovered that there was so much duplication of lists made up of varying criteria that no national figures would have any validity.
§ Mr. ProfumoCan the right hon. Gentleman say how long he thinks it will be before this scheme—I again call it a scheme because, so far, it is only a scheme —will come to fruition and local authorities will be informed of the result?
§ Mr. BevanI do not know what the hon. Gentleman means by " scheme." As was explained in the answer, the only way to find out the actual housing needs of the country is a house to house survey, which would involve the use of large sums of public money and personnel.