§ 31. Mr. H. A. Priceasked the Minister of Health if he will divide local authority housing quotas into two separate categories, one for local authority erection, the other for erection by private builders, the proportions being four to one, instead of allocating the whole quota to local authorities, many of whom do not exercise the power given to them by him to license one-fifth of their quota to private builders.
§ Mr. PriceIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when he says, as he often does, that private builders have not taken up their allocation, what has happened is that Socialist local authorities have refused to use the powers given them by the Minister. Does he not agree that it would be a good idea to remove the possibility of such distortions?
§ Mr. BevanI am not prepared to agree with Members of the Opposition that the House of Commons should interfere with the freedom of local authorities.