11. Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many additional houses he proposes to authorise the Whiston Rural District Council to build in the years 1956 to 1960 to enable them to meet his requirement of rehousing the residents of the M.A.P. estate at Knowsley.
§ Mr. SandysI cannot at present say how many houses the Whiston Rural District Council will require over the next five years. But the need to rehouse families now living in temporary hutments will, of course, be taken into account.
Mr. WilsonIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that already houses on this estate are being left vacant, as part of this crazy plan for rehousing this particular estate, on the assumption that the right hon. Gentleman is going to allow enough houses to be built for rehousing purposes in addition to the normal needs of the Whiston Rural District Council? Is he further aware that in Whiston all normal council house building has already come to a full stop, and yet it has its own programme and its rehousing programme to do as well?
§ Mr. SandysThe right hon. Gentleman asked quite a number of questions. It is, I think, desirable that these hutted camps should be brought to an end, and that does involve a certain additional strain. But one of the factors which will affect the progress of this scheme is the rate at which the council is able to advance in making provision for a substantial new sewerage system which will be required.
Mr. WilsonBut is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is not a hutted camp, that the dwellings are brick-built, and, in the second place, that the local authority has stopped its building? Since he does not know the answers to my question, will he either go or send an emissary 969 to this area to discover the facts at first hand and then see that something is done about it?
§ Mr. SandysI will look into it.