Colonel Sir J. HOPEasked the Secretary for Scotland (1) whether the conditions on which local authorities in Scotland indicated their willingness to erect 99,000 houses were the same as those on which local authorities in England and Wales indicated their willingness to erect 150,000 houses; and (2) whether, in view of the Report by the local authorities in England and Wales that a total number of 300,000 houses were required, he will state the total number of houses which the local authorities in Scotland considered to be required in Scotland?
§ Mr. MUNROThe information given by local authorities in Scotland was in reply to a circular issued by the Local Government Board for Scotland in August last. In that circular the Board stated that the Government recognised that it would be necessary to afford substantial financial assistance for housing schemes from public funds, and asked local authorities to fill up a form indicating, among other things, the number of houses which they would be prepared to provide on the assumption that financial facilities would be afforded by the Government. I understand the conditions set out in the corresponding circular issued in England were in similar terms. From the schedules received up to date, it appears that the total number of houses which local authorities consider to be required in Scotland is 108,902.