§ Major Bruceasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of flats and houses at present requisitioned by, or on behalf of, the Admiralty in the city of Portsmouth; the number at present unoccupied and the number it is proposed to derequisition 982W as a consequence of non-occupation; and whether, in view of the grave shortage of housing in Portsmouth resulting from heavy air-raid damage and the housing needs of returning Servicemen, he will take every step to ensure that, consistent with the continued necessity of avoiding overcrowding in the existing Naval establishments in the city, his requirements in Portsmouth are reduced to a minimum.
Mr. AlexanderThe number of flats and houses at present held on requisition by or on behalf of the Admiralty in the City of Portsmouth is 116, all of which are occupied. Every effort is being, and will continue to be, made to vacate these properties at the earliest possible date but, owing to the over-crowding of all naval establishments in the Portsmouth area which is likely to persist as a result of the speed-up in demobilisation, no material reduction of requirements is to be expected in the near future.
§ Mr. S. Shephardasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much requisitioned industrial floor-space was in occupation by his Department on 30th September.