HC Deb 19 July 1955 vol 544 cc202-3
40. Mr. Page

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance to local authorities that he will increase the yearly housing allocation of each authority by a number equal to the number of temporary prefabricated houses to be demolished by it in the year.

Mr. Sandys

The number of families in temporary dwellings who require to be rehoused is, of course, one of the factors which are taken into account when considering the size of a local authority's building programme.

Mr. Page

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, which I am sure will give satisfaction, may I ask him whether he realises the dilemma in which he places local authorities at the moment in asking them for a return of the number of prefabricated houses to be demolished when they are not certain whether they will get an allocation of houses to replace them?

Mr. Sandys

It is a case of the chicken and the egg. We must know the intentions of local authorities before we can decide what size their building programme ought to be. The purpose of the circular was merely to find what the local authorities concerned would like to do in the matter of the demolition of temporary houses.

Mr. Mitchison

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that he improves the hatch by giving all the eggs to private builders?