§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that about three years ago the urban council of Westport, county Mayo, acting on repeated reports of the local 1800W medical officer of health that many houses occupied by workmen in the district were unfit for human habitation, formulated an experimental scheme for the erection of ten houses under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts; can he state why this scheme was not approved by the Local Government Board until a few weeks ago; why the loan then sanctioned by the Local Government Board for the purposes of the scheme has not yet been issued by the Treasury; will he advise the immediate issue of the loan so as to enable the council to have the houses erected during the present summer months; and can he give any assurance that a new housing scheme now in preparation by the council will be considered and disposed of with-in a more reasonable time by the Local Government Board and the Treasury?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe loan was sanctioned by the Treasury on the 8th May, and notification of same was issued on 10th May to the clerk of the urban district council.