THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked His Majesty's Government whether it is correct that the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board has recently constructed several houses for its employees at Pitlochry, at a cost of over £4,000 each: and if so, why the Board has been permitted to expend approximately three times the amount per house as is allowed to a private person or to a local authority.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF WORKS (LORD MORRISON)The average cost of eight houses built for employees of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board at Pitlochry is estimated to be about £3,800, but this figure includes £735 for the price of the land on which the houses are built, the cost of site preparation on unfavourable sites, development charges, architect's fees and legal costs. The houses in question are built of stone, and are in the nature of an experiment to aid the revival of the Scottish stone-building industry. The houses may, of course, be expected to have a longer life and lower maintenance costs than brick and roughcast houses.
House adjourned at two minutes before five o'clock.