§ 12. Mrs. Braddockasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs on what date he intends to send officials from his department to confer with the officials of the Liverpool Housing Department regarding the speeding up of house building to meet the needs of Liverpool.
§ Sir K. JosephDiscussions between officials have already taken place and others will follow to the extent necessary from time to time.
§ Mrs. BraddockAs this Question was tabled to the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to make it his business to pay a visit immediately to Liverpool to acquaint himself with the grave difficulties there and thus put himself in a position to give instruction about the work that ought to be done?
§ Sir K. JosephI should like to take this opportunity to pay a tribute to my predecessor both for what he has done and for what he has set in hand. He has left me a considerable tour of other slum areas to carry out, and I must carry on with that. My Permanent Secretary was in Liverpool yesterday, and I am aware of what is going on in that city.
§ Mr. MacCollThe right hon. Gentleman had better be careful. His predecessor went to Merseyside and undertook to do something about the slums, and lost his job. If the right hon. Gentleman proposes to make tours, is not he in imminent danger of suffering the same fate?