Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health what was the highest and lowest contract price, exclusive of roads and sewers, approved for parlour and non-parlour houses, respectively, built under the Housing Act, 1919, within the following periods, respectively: 31st July, 1919, to 31st December, 1919; 1st January, 1920, to 31st December, 1920; 1st January, 1921, to 31st December, 1921; 1st January, 1922, to 31st December, 1922; and 1st January, 1923, to 30th June, 1923?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe following statement gives the highest and lowest average tender prices for A.3 and B.3 type of houses approved under the Housing Act, 1919, Assisted Scheme during the periods referred to. These tender prices have in most cases been subject to adjustment for fluctuation in costs of labour and material:
to labour in the cost of parlour and non-parlour houses, respectively, in September 1920, October 1920, December 1921, 69W and March 1923; and what were the average contract prices for such houses at such periods?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe average tender prices for houses built under the Housing Act, 1919, Assisted Scheme for the months named by the hon. Member are given in the table below. The tender prices were in most cases subject to adjustment for fluctuations in the cost, labour and materials. There are no records which would enable exact figures to be given for the relation of the cost of labour to that of materials at the same dates. On the best estimate which can be formed, it would appear that the relation was approximately as given below, the materials in each case being represented by the figure 100 and the labour by the percentage of that figure.
Date. Type of House. Tender price. Percentage which labour cost bears to that of materials. £ Per cent. September, 1920 A 881 84 September, 1920 B 949 82 October, 1920 A 888 84 October, 1920 B 958 82 December, 1921 A 514 73 December, 1921 B 566 71 March, 1923 A 363 58 March, 1923 B 402 57