§ Sir G. COLLINSasked the Secretary for Scotland the number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to 31st January, 1925, under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, and the estimated capital value of the subsidies for these houses; and the number of houses approved for subsidy to 31st January, 1925, under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, and the estimated capital value of the subsidies for these houses?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to 31st January, 1925, under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, was 12,473, excluding 1,664 houses transferred to the Act of 1924. The present capital value of the Exchequer subsidies payable on these houses is estimated at approximately £960,420. The number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to the same date under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, was 3,177, of which 1,664 had been transferred from the Act of 1923. The present capital value of the Exchequer subsidies payable on the above 3,177 houses is estimated at approximately £513,900. Information is not available as to capital values of the additional subsidies granted by the local authorities in respect of these houses. Under the Act of 1923, the Scottish Board of Health had, in addition to the 12,473 houses referred to above, approved proposals for the erection of 6,573 houses under slum clearance schemes. These houses, which are for the purpose of rehousing slum tenants, are entitled to a special Exchequer subsidy amounting to 50 per cent. of the approved annual deficit on the scheme. It is not possible 954W to calculate the present capital value of the Exchequer subsidy in respect of these houses as the total costs have not yet been ascertained.
§ Sir S. CHAPMANasked the Secretary for Scotland the total number of houses, State-aided, erected in Scotland under the Housing Act, 1919; the number of houses erected or sanctioned for erection under the 1923 Act by public authorities and private enterprise, respectively; the number of houses erected or sanctioned for erection under the 1924 Act; and the average price for a three-apartment house, January, 1925, and for a four-apartment house, January, 1925, respectively?
§ Sir J. GILMOURThe number of houses erected as at 31st January, 1925, under the Housing, Towning Planning, Etc. (Scotland) Act, 1919, was 23,601.
The numbers of houses erected or sanctioned for erection as at 28th February, 1925, under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, were as follows:
(1) Additional houses to be built: (a) By local authorities 6,192 (b) By private enterprise 6,232 Total (excluding 1,698 houses transferred to the Act of 1924 12,424 (2) Number of houses to be built in replacement of houses demolished under slum clearance schemes 6,625 The number of houses erected or sanctioned for erection by local authorities at the same date under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, was 5,869, of which 1,698 had been transferred from 955W the Act of 1923. According to the latest returns available no houses have been erected or sanctioned for erection by private enterprise under the Act of 1924.
The average price for three-apartment houses tendered for in January and approved by the Scottish Board of Health was £384. No four-apartment houses were tendered for in January and approved by the Board.
The above price, which does not. include for roads, sewers, drains or land is below the average price of tenders approved for houses of three apartments during the previous three months, and is due to the fact that a large percentage of the houses were flats.