§ Mr. PERKINSasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the serious delay in obtaining sanction to proceed with cottages in the area of the Lymington rural district council; whether contracts for cottage building at New Milton, Pilley, Brockenhurst, and Sway were submitted to the Housing Commissioner a month ago upon the assurance that sanction would be given within two days of their receipt; whether all the contracts were sent up within three days of the request being made for them; whether, as a matter of fact, the sanction to proceed was not received until 4th November; whether the example quoted is exceptional or general; and whether, in view of the enormous waste of time which has taken place in complying with the various formalities, he will see his way to decentralise some of the routine work of his department?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have made inquiries into the question of the housing schemes 1917W of the Lymington rural district council at New Milton, Pilley, Brockenhurst, and Sway. The tenders were approved by the Housing Commissioner on the 18th August last, and the letter of approval requested the council to enter into the necessary contracts forthwith. Early in October an inspector from the Housing Commissioner's office urged on the council that the contracts should be submitted at an early date, and stated that he would endeavour to secure approval within a day or two. By some mistake the draft contracts for New Milton and Pilley did not reach the, Housing Commissioner till the [...] October, although the letter enclosing the contracts was in fact dated 8th October. The two contracts in question were approved by the Housing Commissioner on 2nd November. The draft contracts for Brockenhurst and Sway have not yet been submitted for the approval of the Housing Commissioner. The delay in approving the new contracts for New Milton and Pilley is abnormal and to some extent was due to pressure in the Housing Commissioner's office.