28. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs how many houses to let have been built by private builders in Stoke-on-Trent in 1958 and 1959.
§ Sir K. JosephMy right hon. Friend's records do not enable him to give the information asked for. He is however aware that some private building to let has taken place in Stoke-on-Trent during the past two years.
Mrs. SlaterIs the hon. Gentleman aware that these are so few that they can be counted on the fingers of one hand and that so long as his right hon. Friend takes up the attitude which he does and the Chancellor of the Exchequer maintains his attitude regarding high interest rates, the people of Stoke-on-Trent and other cities will be condemned to live in appalling conditions; because local authorities cannot build and private builders want to make the largest profits possible out of their own building?
§ Sir K. JosephMy right hon. Friend would welcome more building to let, but political attacks on landlords do not exactly encourage this.