§ 8. Mr. Benceasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the number of houses being built for letting outside those being built for the local authorities.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanHouses are built for letting by housing associations, Government Departments and private builders, as well as by local authorities. All the available figures are given in Summary Tables D and E and Table No. 3 of the published Quarterly Housing Returns.
§ Mr. BenceWill the Minister give an assurance that no contractors will be allocated raw materials and British labour to provide houses for letting to the wives and families of visiting Service men, as was suggested in one national newspaper a few weeks ago?
§ Mr. MacmillanI read something in the "Sunday Pictorial," but that is all I have heard about it.
§ 9. Mr. Benceasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many of the licences issued since 1st January for private building for owner-occupation have been returned.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanI regret that I am unable to add to the information given in the published quarterly Housing Returns.
§ Mr. BenceIs the Minister aware that as the result of the propaganda of the party opposite before they were elected, a number of people in this country feel that they have had a cruel deception perpetrated on them—[Laughter.] Oh, yes—in so far as that, with the increasing interest rates and the higher cost of building, it is almost impossible for people to take up the licence for which they have applied?
§ Mr. MacmillanI am glad to have this deep interest in private building licences from the hon. Gentleman. The words "cruel deception" are a little hard. I cannot anticipate the year's results, but I think that the "cruel deception" will result in a very large number of additional houses built both for tenants for letting and for private persons for their own occupation.
Air Commodore HarveyDoes my right hon. Friend not agree that the biggest deception with which these people have had to contend is that of development charges?