§ Lieutenant-Colonel W. GUINNESSasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he can give the number and cost of houses and tenements built in Ireland out of public funds by the Estates Commissioners, the Congested Districts Board, and the local authorities, and the total or annual loss?
2520W
§ Mr. A. W. SAMUELSThe amount expended by the Estates Commissioners from the commencement of the Irish Land Act of 1903 to 31st March, 1918, on erection of new buildings (including out-offices) and repair of existing buildings (including out-offices) was £355,521 9s. 6d., of which £210,270 14s. 5d. is repayable in the Purchasers' Land Purchase Annuities and the balance of £145,250 15s. is not repayable. The Commissioners are not in a position to state the number of new buildings so erected or existing buildings so repaired. With regard to the operations of the Congested Districts Board I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement furnished in reply to the question of my lion. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth on the 10th March last. Under the Labourers Acts 47,868 cottages and plots were provided up to 31st March, 1918. As regards the costs and losses connected with the buildings and the plots I would refer my hon. Friend to the last printed Parliamentary Returns prepared in the matter (House of Commons Papers, Nos. 280 and 281 of the year 1915). The following are the particulars as regards the operations in county boroughs, urban districts and towns under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts:
Total number of Houses built. Cost. Annual Loss. £ 9410 and 2 common lodging houses 1,983,590 No particulars available, but in Dublin City it amounted to £9,812 for the year 1912–13 on 1,385 houses, or about £7 per house.