Mr. DAVISONasked the Minister of Health whether he intends to promote legislation in pursuance of which the Government will be enabled to contribute to the cost of providing houses for persons displaced in pursuance of an order made under Part II of the Housing Act, 1925, relating to unhealthy areas, on the same basis as in the case of contributions made under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924; and, if so, when such legislation will be introduced?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe subsidy 'provided by the Housing Act of 1923 in connection with schemes for the clearance of unhealthy areas (including the provision of rehousing accommodation) takes the form of an Exchequer contribution up to one half of the approved loss arising from the execution of the schemes. This contribution is payable during the whole period for which a loss is incurred, which would normally be about 60 years, and there is no statutory provision for the review of this subsidy as in the case of schemes under the Housing Act, 1924. The conditions of Exchequer assistance in respect of schemes for the clearance of unhealthy areas and the consequential rehousing accommodation were fixed by Parliament as recently as 1923, and I am not aware of any circumstances which have arisen since that time which would justify me in asking the House to vary the basis of assistance.