HC Deb 14 July 1953 vol 517 cc140-2W
65. Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has authorised the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Council to commence building only 420 houses during the next six months in place of 700 for which permission was sought.

66. Mr. Short

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why his regional officer has cut the 1953 housing programme of Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council by almost 500 houses.

69. Mr. Popplewell

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what special steps he is taking to encourage the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Corporation to build sufficient houses to meet the needs of approximately 16,000 applicants on their waiting list; and why he is authorising the Corporation to put out tenders for only 420 houses during the next six months instead of the 700 they had planned.

70. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he is now compelled to curb the expansion of the housing programme owing to shortage of bricks.

75. Mr. K. Thompson

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to maintain the housing programme at 300,000 houses a year.

76. Sir G. Hutchinson

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will make a statement on the housing programme.

78. Miss Ward

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the anxiety caused by the reduced allocation of houses to be built by local authorities in the North-East region in the autumn, he will make a statement on his plans.

Mr. Marples

There has been no cut in the programme. We are now building houses at the rate of about 300,000 a year. The bricks and cement available for housing will not support a programme at more than that rate. We must, of course, allocate building materials including bricks and cement for other essential needs such as factories, schools, etc.

We are, therefore, steadying the programme at its present high level by matching the number of houses starting with the bricks and cement available. Too many starts would mean too few completions, because the bricks and cement would not go round. Individual local authorities who have not been given immediate approval for all the tenders they would like should remember two things: first, the rate of housebuilding in Britain has increased by half since we took office; secondly, the action we are taking will help every local authority to finish the houses they are now building by avoiding delays on sites, and ensure that their programme will run smoothly on into 1954.

We shall build many more houses to let this year than ever before. Side by side with this, we expect to see more houses built for owner-occupiers. The Government feel that it is only right that people who wish to put their own money into building a house should be able to do so.