§ 9. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will now make a statement on the replies he has received from local authorities to his circular of 2nd August asking them to let him know by 31st December, 1962, their plans for dealing, among other things, with houses lacking a bath, hot water and inside lavatory.
§ Sir K. JosephOne thousand and ninety-one—or about 75 per cent.—of the housing authorities in England and Wales have now replied. Four hundred and thirty-two of them have indicated that they have taken or propose to take further action to get more houses improved, particularly by schemes of area improvement. Of the remaining authorities, some say there is little scope for improvement work in their areas, others want more time to consider the position, and others, for a variety of reasons, have at the moment felt unable to make any proposals. I intend to follow up with those authorities where there appears to be opportunity for a further drive on improvement work.
§ Mr. AllaunWhilst the splendid plans of Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Birmingham, Salford and certain other places are very welcome, is it not true that in many places they are not even scratching the surface? Would the Minister consider issuing a second circular pressing for a crash programme, thus meeting the dearest wishes of so many housewives and also helping the foundrymen 735 who make the baths, skilled building workers and unemployed labourers in certain cases to find work?
§ Sir K. JosephWhile welcoming the desire of so many of these authorities to press ahead, the Government are not satisfied with progress, and I shall be making an announcement as soon as my study of the problem is complete.