HC Deb 29 October 1957 vol 575 cc21-2
28. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number and estimated total cost of houses built with Government financial aid for Inverness County Council in the Islands of Barra, Benbecula, North and South Uist and Harris between 1945 and the end of 1951, and the number and cost of those built since 1951 under the Government's expanded housing programme.

Mr. J. N. Browne

Between 1945 and the end of 1951, the county council provided 158 houses on the islands mentioned at an estimated cost of £458,000. Since 1951, the council has built no houses in these areas.

Mr. MacMillan

Can the Minister tell us why, if a Labour Government in the most difficult years immediately after the war could build relatively so many houses, the present Government have not been able to get any built at all in six years?

Mr. Browne

Yes, Sir. The needs of the islands were substantially satisfied earlier on by the provision of these 158 Swedish houses. Since 1952, the county council has provided 1,445 permanent houses as compared with 903 under a Labour Administration of six years before, and it was for the county council to decide where it should build.

Mr. MacMillan

May I thank the Joint Under-Secretary for his compliment to the previous Labour Government and ask him why the present Government could not have spared some of the boasted 300,000 houses a year for this area? Why discriminate against this area?

Mr. Browne

There is no question of discrimination. The matter is entirely in the hands of the county council.