§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give an estimate of the number of houses which it is proposed by the Government to erect at the national expense and of the average cost of each house to be erected; whether such estimate of number and cost has been prepared; and, if not, whether he will have the same prepared immediately?
§ Major ASTORThe Committee presided over by my hon. Friend the Member for Brightside estimated that about 500,000 houses were needed to make good the shortage of houses in Great Britain. The Government propose to assist the provision of houses by local authorities and public utility societies, and I shall be happy to send my hon. Friend a copy of a circular which the President has issued to local authorities explaining the proposed scheme of financial assistance. It is not at the present time possible, in view of the uncertainty of the cost of labour and materials, to make any close estimate of the cost of the various types of houses which are likely to be erected, but an estimate of the Government contribution during the next financial year towards assisting housing schemes will be circulated with the Estimates shortly to be presented to Parliament.