HC Deb 17 April 1951 vol 486 cc1635-7
14. Mr. J. N. Browne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were completed in Glasgow during the last convenient 12 months' period; and how many are in course of erection.

Mr. T. Fraser

Four thousand one hundred and fourteen houses were completed in the year ended 28th February, 1951, and 5,915 houses were under construction at that date.

Mr. Browne

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that the figure of permanent houses he has given, which means 22,604 apartments, constitutes a post-war record for Glasgow; and will he confirm that this is the highest number of permanent houses built for letting by any local authority in Britain, other than London?

Mr. Fraser

Yes, I think the hon. Gentleman is right.

Mrs. Jean Mann

Is my hon. Friend not aware that this is in no wise a record, and that in 1934 there were 4,485 houses built?

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Is the hon. Gentleman also aware that that was the year when the Socialists inherited a progressive programme, and that they have never since touched more than half that figure?

Mrs. Cullen

Does my hon. Friend not think that the Glasgow Corporation might make a start with building houses for people who most need them?

Major Guy Lloyd

Does the hon. Gentleman know why there should be such dismay amongst his hon. Friends at this very good record of Glasgow in house building?

Mr. Fraser

The surprising thing is that the Opposition should be so pleased to learn that we are getting on with house building. The suggestion is always being made that houses cannot be built under the Socialist Government, but the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Browne) is now claiming that under our policy more houses for letting are being built than ever before.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Is it not true that this rise has only taken place since the ejection of the Socialist Council; and does he not think that this is a very good hint to other cities in Scotland which are short of houses?

Mr. Fraser

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman is a very shrewd debater, but if he claims that the houses built in 1934 under a Labour administration in Glasgow were due to the progressive policy of the Tories in 1931 and 1932, it surely cannot have escaped his attention that it is only quite recently that the Tories regained control of Glasgow, and perhaps they were fortunate in inheriting the very good work done by the Socialists in the previous year.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Is it not the case that figures for housing in Glasgow have been constantly falling but that they are now showing a rise; and is it not further the case that the Socialists did not leave a single prepared site for the Progressives when they came in?

Mr. Fraser

If the right hon. and gallant Gentlemant wants to compare the housing records of Labour and Tory controlled local authorities, let him compare Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Several Hon. Members rose

—

Mr. Speaker

I think we had better have a cease-fire in the battle of Glasgow.