Captain BENNasked the Secretary for Scotland on what principle he proceeded in allotting the orders for the building of the 2,000 Government steel houses; whether he has considered the Reith type of house; and whether an opportunity can be given to the manufacturers of that house to tender, especially in view of the fact that the construction of such houses would find a large volume of employment in trades in which the present unemployment percentage is high?
§ Sir J. GILMOURIn the selection of the types of houses to be included in the 2,000 steel houses referred to, regard was 1053W had to the applications for approval that had been received from firms for the purposes of the special subsidy offered to local authorities in October last. The Reith type of house has recently been examined on behalf of the Scottish Board of Health, who have indicated that, subject to certain conditions, they are prepared to approve this type of house for 1054W purposes of subsidy under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924. The types for the 2,000 steel houses to be erected by the Second Scottish National Housing Company (Housing Trust), Limited, have already been selected, and it is therefore not possible to include the Reith type of house in that scheme.