§ 33. Mr. Gibsonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the number of urgent housing applications at present on the lists of local housing authorities; and what steps he is taking to speed up the supply of new houses to deal with these urgent cases.
53. Miss Leeasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that those whose housing needs are most urgent are given priority.
§ Mr. SandysI am aware that there are still many families without satisfactory housing accommodation. The continuance of house building at a high rate is the best way to help them. We must, I think, rely upon local authorities to allot their houses to those families who have the greatest need.
§ Mr. GibsonIn view of that reply, how is it that the Minister and his Department are, in fact, imposing restrictions on the number of houses that local housing authorities are allowed to build? Is he aware that unless in all our large towns—including London—there is a very substantial increase in the number of houses built to be let, there will be many scores of thousands of urgent cases which cannot be housed?
§ Mr. MitchisonHas the right hon. Gentleman yet found a better explanation than the weather for the fact that there were 40,000 fewer houses under construction by local authorities at the end of the last quarter than there were a year ago?
§ Mr. SandysThere is a later Question on that subject on the Order Paper.
Miss LeeMay I ask the Minister to reply to my Question, No. 53, in which I asked what steps he is taking to help in solving this problem? Is he aware that nothing he has yet said has been helpful? Is he also aware that, if the policy of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer continues, the people who need houses most will be put at the back of the queue and not at the front?
§ Mr. SandysWhat we are doing is to maintain a high rate of house building—[HON. MEMBERS: "A high rate of interest."]—a high rate of house building for letting and for sale.