§ 70. Sir W. Darlingasked the Minister of Health, with a view to relieving loan indebtedness of local authorities and the State, if he will now consider schemes by which local authority tenants may buy the houses which they occupy.
§ Mr. BevanNo. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given on 16th March last to Questions by the hon. Members for Bristol, North-West (Lieut.-Commander Braithwaite) and Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott), a copy of which I am sending to him.
§ 71. Sir W. Darlingasked the Minister of Health what is the total number of houses owned by local authorities in England and Wales.
§ Mr. BevanThe total number built since 1919 under the various Housing Acts is 1,691,018. In addition, a relatively small number have been erected or acquired under other statutory powers, but details are not available.
§ 72. Sir W. Darlingasked the Minister of Health what is the average cost of all local government authority owned houses?
§ Mr. BevanDetailed figures are not available but I would refer the hon. Member to the First and Second Reports of the Girdwood Committee on House Building Costs.
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§ 104. Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Health if he will give an estimate of the cost to the taxpayers and ratepayers of the 160,000 houses that are to be provided by local authorities for rent in the year 1951.
§ Mr. BevanThe statutory contributions to be made out of taxes and rates for houses provided by local authorities are set out in the Acts of 1946 and 1949.