§ Mr. Keelingasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will give an estimate of the annual consumption of coal and coke in the projected 4,000,000 new houses if the new types of more efficient appliances are installed; and, alternatively, if grates and ranges of pre-war design are installed.
§ Sir A. HudsonAs my hon. Friend will appreciate it is not possible to give accurate estimates of the annual consumption of coal and coke in the houses to which he refers. But I am advised that, if the householders were content with the pre-war standard of heating, the saving in consumption by the use of the new and more efficient appliances would be likely to be of the order of 4,000,000 tons per annum.
§ Mr. Priceasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what arrangements have been made to ensure that in all the houses which are to be built during the next two years with Government subsidy and which include coal-burning grates or other heating or cooking appliances only installations which conform to satisfactory standards as regards thermal efficiency will be installed; and whether, in this connection, steps have been taken to bring to the attention of all responsible for building these houses the various types 1674W of efficient coal-burning apparatus now being exhibited by the Coal Utilisation Joint Council.
§ Sir A. HudsonI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Member for Moss Side (Mr. R. Duckworth) on 13th February, and to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) on 7th June. As regards apparatus now being exhibited by the Coal Utilisation Joint Council, invitations to the exhibition have, I understand, been sent to all local authorities, to architects and to builders and heating engineers, and the exhibition has received publicity in the Press. In addition, not only are these appliances referred to in the "Housing Manual," but some of them were shown at the Government Exhibition of Housing Equipment held in Birmingham last October.