§ Lieut.-Colonel Macnamaraasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in connection with the official announcement that a number of rural houses are to be constructed this year for the benefit of land workers, he can state the principle upon which preference is given to the different agricultural districts; and what is the anticipated allocation of such houses to Essex?
Mr. HudsonIn allocating the provisional number of houses which it is hoped to build this year under the recently announced building programme I have had regard to the relative needs of the various counties in connection with the food production programme and to evidence of exceptional shortage of houses in particular rural districts. The provisional allocation for Essex is 66.