§ Earl WINTERTONasked the Minister of Health why his Department has not approved the housing scheme of the Woking Urban Council; and if he is aware that the surveyor to the council recently interviewed five separate officials in the Ministry, in the hope of getting the matter settled, without success?
§ Major ASTORThe Woking village scheme, to which I presume the Noble Earl refers, was approved subject to some 2161W modification, which the local architect thought could be adopted without difficulty, so long ago as the 10th June. Subsequently the Council asked the Ministry of Health to waive some of these modifications. The Ministry agreed to do so except in regard to certain modifications considered to be essential on sanitary grounds, and the Council were so informed and asked, on the 9th July, to obtain tenders. The council have since agreed to provide satisfactorily for the drainage, and the scheme has been approved completely. I may add that I cannot find any foundation for the suggestion in the last part of the question, and I am bound to say that, although they have received much detailed assistance from the Housing Commissioner, the Council have displayed little energy in prosecuting cither this scheme or their other schemes which are in an earlier stage.