§ 9. Mr. Manuelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of municipal houses to be built this year.
§ Mr. GalbraithMy right hon. Friend does not expect the number to be any less than last year, when almost 18,000 houses were completed.
§ Mr. ManuelIs not this a rather shocking reply? Have not the Government repeatedly said that they are going to have a great surge forward to eliminate the hundreds of thousands of decaying houses which are cluttering up most of our cities and which are breeding grounds for disease? Is he further aware that there is also the problem of the special needs category; that there are grossly overcrowded homes and thousands of people in sub-tenancies? Will not he get on with the job, and inject some life into the occupants of St. Andrew's House and into this housing question?
§ Mr. GalbraithThe hon. Gentleman's Question related particularly to municipal houses. He will appreciate that there are other agencies engaged in building, such as the S.S.H.A., the new towns and private house builders. Taking 1219 those into consideration, there were 1,300 more houses finished last year than the year before.