FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN

HC Deb 23 March 1950 vol 472 cc2154-6

45. Mr. John E. Haire

asked the Lord President of the Council what progress has been made by local authorities in preparation for the Festival of Britain

The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

Of the 1,532 local authorities in England and Wales 645 have shown interest in the Festival of Britain to date. Of these 178 have sent in information about their programmes of Festival activities. These figures do not include 141 parish councils which are also interested. I am unable to give figures for Scotland. This is quite a good beginning, but I hope that many more local authorities and other bodies will start planning for the Festival soon as time for preparation is getting short.

Mr. Haire

Will my right hon. Friend continue to impress on those local authorities who are still back-sliding that this is an important national occasion? Will he do everything he can to get a truly united front?

Mr. Morrison

Yes, Sir. I will do my best, but on the whole there is a lot to be said for treating local authorities with that full care and respect which is due to them.

Squadron-Leader A. E. Cooper

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many local authorities in this country feel that the manpower and raw materials used in the Festival of Britain would be much better used in building houses for the people?

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. Morrison

I do not know what that noise from the Opposition is about, because they have acquiesced in this Festival as we have gone along. My impression is that local authorities are taking a rather broader view of the needs of the country than is the hon. and gallant Member opposite.

46. Sir Austin Hudson

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the urgent need for all building operatives to concentrate on building houses, he will postpone the Festival of Britain from 1951 to a later date

Mr. H. Morrison

No, Sir.

Sir A. Hudson

Is the Minister aware that if the energy which had been expended in trying to finish this Exhibition in time were expended on building more houses it would much improve the housing situation in London?

Mr. Morrison

If I may say so, that is a very partisan observation. It is, of course, possible to advance the view that every piece of building other than working-class housing should be stopped, and there is something to be said for it. That is to say, that repairs and reconditioning of the houses of the rich, cinemas and anything else should all be stopped and that industrial building should all be stopped. If the hon. Member wants to advance the theory that everything in the building line other than direct municipal building should be stopped, let him say so.

Commander Galbraith

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the policy of the Government is to build for need and not for class?

Mr. Morrison

I have said what I have said. In the meantime, all Parliamentary parties in the House are represented on the Festival of Britain. We debated this matter earlier and there was general agreement, and I think it is a pity if this partisan shooting is to begin in spite of the agreement.

Sir A. Hudson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when this scheme was first mooted we were told that the number of building operatives to be employed on it would be so small that if they were employed on housing it would make no difference? That does not appear to be the case, however, and many of us are genuinely alarmed, particularly in view of the cut in housing.

Mr. Morrison

It will not really make all that difference, so as to involve a dramatic issue. Our country really must exhibit itself to the world as a progressive country which has achieved things. There are great economic advantages, direct and indirect, from the Festival of Britain and I would urge hon. Members opposite not to make this a partisan issue but to think of the broad issues of the country as a whole.