§ Mr. HALLASasked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that the use of two hostels situated near the works of the Austin Motor Company, Birmingham, as centres for the curative training and treatment of disabled ex-Service men is preventing their use as lodgings for 1,500 men and boys who would be employed at the works named and is, therefore, both promoting unemployment and aggravating the housing difficulty; whether he is aware that there are several large void Government hutments in Sutton Park which would, from the point of view of access and surroundings, be more convenient as training centres than the hostels named; and whether in the lights of these facts, he will reconsider his decision?
§ Sir J. CRAIGMy right hon. Friend has received representations from the Ministry of Labour as to the desire of the Austin Motor Car Company to obtain the hostels in question. Representations have also been made direct to this Department by the company, and it was only after full consideration of these representations and consultations with the Ministry 3f Health as to housing needs that the decision was taken to utilise the hostels for the purpose of a convalescent centre for the concurrent treatment and training of discharged disabled men. The demand for such facilities is urgent. An alternative proposal to take hutments in Sutton Park for the purpose of a centre has been considered, but this scheme was rejected in favour of the hostel scheme on account of the much greater cost involved in adapting the premises and the delay that would have been occasioned.