§ 31. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, in view of the 400,100 marriages in Great Britain last year, what is his estimate of tine total number of homes which will be built in England and Wales during the next two years.
§ Sir K. JosephWhat matters for housing purposes is not the number of marriages, tout the net increase in the number of households. This is about 100,000 a year. The current rate of building is nearly three times that.
§ Mr. AllaunWill the Minister go to see the film, "A Kind of Loving"—
§ Mr. LiptonThe Prime Minister has seen it
§ Mr. Allaun—in order to appreciate bow many marriages are ruined because young couples today cannot find homes of their own? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figures he has given do not cover the net increase in households, plus the requirements needed to deal with slum clearance and overcrowding? Is he aware that the best solution to the problems confronting council house tenants and owner-occupiers would be low interest rates for housing loans?
§ Sir K. JosephI do not accept the panacea offered by the hon. Gentleman, but I share his passionate concern about the need to try to find some way to increase the rate of house building, bearing in mind the fact of the already fully stretched resources of the building industry.
§ Mrs. CastleWill the Minister look into the policy of the French Government in this respect and note what an important part very low interest rates for housing play in the much bigger programme in which the French are engaged?
§ Sir K. JosephThe hon. Lady is absolutely right to draw attention to the lessons which we can learn from abroad. On my arrival at the Ministry I was presented with all the studies which have been made at the request of my predecessor so that I may be able to consider them.