Mr. LYLEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many huts constructed for service purposes during the War are still in the hands of the Government: how many are never used and never likely to be used for their original purpose or for anything connected with it: whether these have been all offered for sale: and whether the time has arrived, before decay sets in, to allow them to be used wherever possible for residential purposes at the cheapest possible rates?
Sir J. BAIRDThe information asked for in the first part of the question is not available and to obtain it would in-2294W volve disproportionate expense, Huts no longer required for service purposes are declared surplus and handed over to the Disposals Board. All such huts are immediately offered by the Board for sale. Hutted camps, however, are in the first place offered for disposal en bloc. The Board endeavour to avoid all unnecessary delay in offering huts for sale in view of possible depreciation in values.