§ 23 and 24. Mr. Hunterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) the total number of houses planned to be built in the new towns for the London and Middlesex areas; and the total number built at the latest convenient date;
(2) the number of families transferred from the London and Middlesex areas into the new towns being built for these areas at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. SandysHouses built in new towns are not earmarked in advance for families coming from particular parts of Greater London. I understand that by the end of last year the eight new towns in the Home Counties had provided houses for about 8,000 families from the County of London and about 7,900 from Middlesex.
§ Mr. HunterWill the Minister pay special attention to the London and Middlesex areas? As he knows, local authorities are running short of housing sites, while housing lists are growing longer and longer. Will the Minister bring out new plans to give families in London and Middlesex some hope of being housed in the near future?
§ Mr. SandysThis is a matter which is constantly before me, and I have had discussions only quite recently with the L.C.C. I expect that house building in the new towns around London will continue at the rate of about 10,000 houses a year, and, of course, the County of London and the County of Middlesex get a very substantial proportion of those houses.
§ Mr. MitchisonAt the present rate of progress, when will the L.C.C. be able to meet its housing requirements? Is it not time that the Minister did some more, not only in the way of new towns, but for over-spill around London and other urban centres such as Birmingham and Manchester?
§ Mr. SandysThe hon. and learned Member well knows that these are matters which I am actively discussing with the local authorities concerned.