HC Deb 27 November 1951 vol 494 cc1097-101
19. Mr. Charles Ian Off-Ewing

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a further statement about housing.

21. Mr. C. J. M. Alport

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the policy of his Department with regard to the ratio between the number of houses to be built by local authorities and those built under private licences.

29. Mr. A. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he proposes to tender to local housing authorities regarding the sale of local authority houses; and the standard of future house building.

32. Mr. G. R. Howard

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he has any statement to make on a revision of the present licensing system.

40. Mr. Harmar Nicholls

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a speedy change in the existing system relating to the issue of building licences for new houses and the local authorities ratio system generally.

41. Mr. Basil Nield

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consider extending the discretion at present vested in rural district councils in regard to the granting of licences for the erection of houses by private builders.

Mr. H. Macmillan

Local authorities are being given discretion to issue licences for the building of houses by private enterprise up to a maximum of one-half—instead of one-fifth—of their 1952 allocation. These houses will be for sale or letting to families on their waiting lists or to other applicants in equally urgent need of a home. The houses to be built under licence will be controlled as to maximum size and sale or resale price and rent.

The sale of municipal houses is being permitted, subject to suitable safeguards.

For their own 1952 programmes, local authorities are being encouraged to follow specimen designs prepared in the Ministry of houses to existing Dudley standards of room sizes and living space, but of smaller superficial areas.

Guidance on these matters is being posted to local authorities today.

Major Guy Lloyd

Can the Minister state whether the welcome statement he has made applies in full to Scotland?

Mr. Macmillan

I understand that the Secretary of State for Scotland will make a statement on the somewhat different conditions which apply to Scotland.

Mr. Paget

Does the Minister realise that this is terrible news, and may we take it that priority in accordance with need is now abolished?

Mr. Macmillan

No, Sir. Each applicant will have to satisfy the local authorities that he is in urgent need of a home. That is the first pillar on which this stands. Secondly, the size of the type of house will be dependent on the size and composition of the applicant's family, subject to a maximum size of 1,500 sq. ft. Thirdly, the maximum sale price will be what the local authority considers a fair price for the completed house. The house will allow for more expensive substitutes for scarce materials, because I want to encourage the use of the substitutes and thus diminish the drain upon materials available to local authorities for their other building plans.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the very important changes that he has announced ought to be discussed at some length in the House in view of the repercussions they will have on local authority policy?

Mr. Macmillan

That may be considered through what is known as the usual channels.

Mr. A. Woodburn

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us if these houses for sale are to be subject to Government subsidy, or are they to be erected at the expense of the purchaser?

Mr. Macmillan

They will not be subsidised.

Mr. Alport

When does my right hon. Friend anticipate that the allocation to local authorities of their housing for next year will be available, so that they can make the greatest speed with this important advance in British housing policy?

Mr. Macmillan

I hope to make rapid progress, but I want to point out that these allocations always have, and ought to continue to be, not one final decision but progressive and continuous.

Mr. Herbert Morrison

Is it a legitimate deduction from the right hon. Gentleman's statement that there will be fewer houses to be built for letting?

Mr. Macmillan

No, Sir. The purpose of the policy is to increase the number of houses for letting and those for sale. It also at all stages means that we will still use the Dudley standard, but it will make smaller use of materials. There is also our hope and determination to increase the total number of houses.

Mr. C. R. Attlee

In view of the importance of the statement just made by the right hon. Gentleman, can the Leader of the House tell us whether the Government will give time for a discussion on it?

The Minister of Health (Mr. Harry Crookshank)

Everything that is suggested by the right hon. Gentleman with regard to debates will be considered, but I cannot say anything off-hand without notice.

Mr. Woodburn

In view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman has stated that his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is going to make a statement, could he inform us when that statement is likely to be made, which would save time by avoiding asking the right hon. Gentleman questions which should be addressed to his right hon. Friend?

Mr. Macmillan

I did not think it proper that I should make a statement on behalf of Scotland. I think that it will be made in the ordinary way as rapidly as possible, and I hope that meets the right hon. Gentleman's point.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Albu.

Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing

On a point of order. Is it not your practice, Mr. Speaker, to call the original questioner for a supplementary question? I endeavoured to catch your eye as I had asked the original Question, but I have been unsuccessful.

Mr. Speaker

It normally is, but I must say that the first notice I had that all these Questions were to be answered together was immediately before they were answered. It is physically impossible to keep track of all the Members whose names are down for Questions to a combined answer without proper notice. If I get notice that Questions are to be answered together I can look ahead and pick out the Members who put down the original Questions.

Mr. Walker-Smith

May I respectfully ask whether it is your custom to have in mind, in allowing a number of supplementary questions, the unusual number of supplementaries asked by right hon. Gentlemen on the Front Opposition Bench, which in this case has limited the number of supplementaries from hon. Members on this side of the House?

Mr. Douglas Jay

If there is a general wish to put a large number of further supplementaries, would you not, Mr. Speaker, consider giving time for that.

Mr. Speaker

I have to bear in mind a great number of considerations in deciding how many supplementary questions it is in the general interest to allow. I must again repeat that every supplementary question asked postpones the right of a Member who has taken the trouble to put down a Question for an encounter with a Minister. My desire is to do the best I can by all Members in the House, but especially by those who put down questions and who are entitled to answers.