Major Millsasked the Minister of Health whether he has any statistics to show the number of cottages at present occupied by farm workers; and the approximate number of those cottages which need reconditioning or replacing?
§ Mr. ElliotThe estimates given in the report of the Inter-departmental Committee on this subject in 1932 indicate that at that date roughly 450,000 cottages in England and Wales were occupied by agricultural workers. I regret that I am unable to state how many of these cottages need reconditioning or replacing.
Major Millsasked the Minister of Health how many houses for agricultural labourers have been built by local authorities under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1938, and how many are being built at the present time?
§ Mr. ElliotFinancial assistance under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1938, is available, not only for houses approved under that Act, but for houses approved under certain earlier Acts 457W which are not completed by 31st December, 1938; and, consequently, until that date is passed, it is not possible to say how many of the houses now being built will qualify for the new rate of subsidy.