44. Earl of Dalkeithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what year he estimates there will be a sufficiency of houses of satisfactory standard to meet the needs of the population of Scotland on the basis of the current rate of house-building and the current net emigration figures.
§ Dr. Dickson MabonA national estimate on the basis suggested would be of little value, because the problems to be dealt with vary greatly from area to area.
Earl of DalkeithCould the hon. Gentleman please give an assurance that he will press ahead with house building a good deal faster than has occurred up to now, and will he try to forget that a General Election is coming and get on with the job of building houses?
§ Dr. Dickson MabonThe Government have never wavered in their anxiety to try to build more houses in Scotland. If the Conservatives had built 10,000 extra houses each year during their 13 years of office, as we urged upon them, 130,000 families in Scotland would not be living in sub-standard conditions today.