HC Deb 24 February 1971 vol 812 cc542-5
4. Mr. William Hannan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many approvals were granted in respect of houses to be built by Glasgow local authority in each of the years 1968 to 1970.

19. Mr. Small

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is now the final figure for houses completed in 1970 in the city of Glasgow.

22. Mr. Hugh D. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of housing starts, by all sources, in Glasgow in the years 1968, 1969 and 1970.

Mr. Younger

With permission, I will answer Questions Nos. 4, 19 and 22 together and circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Hannan

That reply is an abuse of the procedure of Question Time. But sometimes we happen to know the answers before we ask the Questions, so may I ask the hon. Gentleman this: in view of the declining number of approvals, does he agree that the declining number of approvals automatically means a decline in the number of houses constructed? Do not the figures show a wanton, criminal neglect of its statutory duty by the strife-torn, right-wing alliance in Glasgow? What action does the hon. Gentleman propose to take to encourage it, or better still, to abandon it to its inevitable defeat at the forthcoming elections?

Mr. Younger

I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is putting Questions to which he already knows the answers. I agree with him, of course, that if approvals decline, as they have in Scotland as a whole over the past three years, completions will naturally be likely to decline also. But I cannot agree that the trend in Glasgow is one to be regretted. The Corporation is to be greatly congratulated on at least having looked at the planning standards of housing for the people of Glasgow so that they can have better homes.

Mr. Small

I received nearly a cultural shock from that answer, because my question relates to the City of Glasgow and I think that it will be crystal clear—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman must not use an opportunity to ask a supplementary question to transmit his cultural shocks to me. He must ask a question.

Mr. Small

Does the figure in Glasgow show so alarming a drop that the Minister is afraid to give us the figures today?

Mr. Younger

Not at all. Cultural shocks are a matter for my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, who deals with these things. As to the figures, it is not the question of completions in the past years that is relevant. In the past 12 months Glasgow Corporation has rehoused more people in the city than ever before in its history.

Dr. Miller

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. All that the hon. Gentleman was asked for was four small sets of figures, which he could easily have told us. Is it a new departure that when it becomes a bit difficult for the Government, they hide behind the cloak of putting figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT? As backbenchers we should like your guidance on the matter.

Mr. Speaker

Order. First, I deprecate points of order during Question time because they shorten the time available. Second, I have no responsibility for the nature of the Minister's answer. That is his responsibility, not mine.

Mr. Brown

Will the Minister stop hiding behind the figure of house letting which he has quoted? This is the second time that he has quoted it, and it shows an abysmal ignorance of the true facts of Glasgow's housing problem if he thinks that that is a substitute for new houses.

Mr. Younger

The point made by the hon. Member for Kelvingrove (Dr. Miller) is without substance, because it was not merely four figures for which I was asked but a veritable table, and it would be an abuse of the time of the House to read it out. The point about the housing programme in Glasgow is that the people of Glasgow are no longer prepared to tolerate any house at any price built anywhere. They want a higher-standard housing, and that is what they will get.

Mr. Ross

The Minister got us into this difficulty because he decided with permission—and I do not remember giving permission—to answer three Questions together. The answer to the first should consist of three figures. Will he give us them? The answer to the second, Question No. 19, consists of one figure. Will he give us that?

Mr. Younger

I was asking the permission not of the right hon. Gentleman but of the House, which is not the same thing. Second, there is a whole table of figures in the reply. The right hon. Gentleman can have any of them that he wants at any time, but it is a question of the approval of the House, which was given.

Mr. Hannan

On a point of order. In view of the most unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Following is the information:

Glasgow Corporation only: All agencies:
Approved Started Completed
1968 … 1,428 3,496 4,651
1969 … 4,199 1,551 4,787
1970 … 2,632 3,272 3,051