§ 20. Mr. Michael Footasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the allocation under the capital investment programme for reconstruction in bombed cities during the year 1951; and the comparable figure proposed for the year 1952.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanThe allocation for 1951 was £4½ million. As regards the second part of the Question, the capital allocation for 1952 will be settled from time to time in accordance with the steel available.
§ Mr. FootEven if the actual figures of the capital investment programme have not been fixed for this year, is it not a fact that, in effect, there has been a severe reduction, and, if that is not the case, how can the right hon. Gentleman explain some of the answers which he has been giving to the local authorities on this matter?
§ Mr. MacmillanWe are now at the beginning of March, four weeks after the steel allocation came into being, and I am hopeful that, before the end of the year, we shall be able to make further progress in the work in which the hon. Gentleman and others are so much interested, but I do not want to tie myself to a capital investment programme, which might be hampering rather than helping.
§ Mr. FootDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that, if the blitzed cities are to plan their work, it is highly desirable to have this information several months ahead, and that, if he now says, as he did in the House last week, that we are not going to know the total amount until the end of the year, he will be holding up the whole reconstruction of blitzed cities?
§ Mr. MacmillanI do not think there will be any difficulty of their taking delivery, if I can get them the steel.
§ Mr. FootAs the right hon. Gentleman's Ministry has been inviting development in the blitzed cities and has been preparing plans whereby they will use much less steel, does he not realise that the whole of that proposal will be useless unless they are guaranteed in advance that they will be able to get licences under the capital investment programme?