§ 38. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what request he has received from the burgh of Cumnock and Holmhead for a local authority improvement grant in respect of the improvement of pre-fabricated houses by the local authority; and what was the nature of his reply.
§ Mr. J. StuartThe town council applied for grant under Part VII of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1950, in respect of the improvement of 40 Uni-Seco temporary houses, of which they had become owners. They were informed that improvement grant was not payable on houses which has been built, acquired, converted, or improved with Exchequer assistance.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that again he is penalising an enterprising town council, and that in the same area private owners are getting a grant of £440 for reconditioning similar houses? Why should an enterprising town council be penalised in this way?
§ Mr. StuartI do not think that the hon. Gentleman is correct in saying that they are reconditioning similar houses. The whole object of the Act is to enable the reconditioning of old out-of-date houses to bring them up to the standard of modern requirements, but these are modern Uni-Seco houses.