§ 33. Mr. Loganasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the fact that sites in the Athol Street, Barncourt Street and Boundary Street areas in Liverpool have been lying idle for over ten years, if he will as soon as possible authorise the Liverpool housing authority to build houses there.
§ Mr. BevinsLiverpool Corporation has submitted to my right hon. Friend a proposal for using part of this area for housing, although its Development Plan proposed that it should be used for industry. He was awaiting further details, which have just been received, and he will announce his decision as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. LoganIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this place is lying desolate, and has been for the last ten years? We are just about fed up with the whole situation. We have lost 12,000 to 14,000 people from that area, and the shopkeepers do not know what to do about their businesses. Newsham Hospital, and the adjoining premises which were the workhouse, are now occupied by 86 families. When I went in there three months ago I found a woman with six children, who had been displaced from her home twelve months earlier, living in a workhouse. Are those conditions that we ought to have in the City of Liverpool——
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that that is about enough for one question.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is not the time to make a speech——
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member must take just as big a ration as others, not more. Mr. Bevins.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Mr. Bevins.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Mr. Bevins.
§ Mr. BevinsI know the district to which the hon. Gentleman refers, although I do not know the details as well as he does——
§ Mr. Bevins—but I think that in fairness to my right hon. Friend I ought to reiterate that this particular area was zoned in the Liverpool Development Plan for industry and not for housing. In the second place, it was as recently as 11th March that my right hon. Friend received these details——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is not a point of order.