§ Mr. LUNNasked the Minister of Health whether application has been made by the Manchester City Council for sanction for a housing scheme involving the building of 500 houses by direct labour; on what date the application was made; whether any reply has been sent; if so, on what date; and in what terms?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe Manchester City Council applied on 21st November for permission to build 100 to 150 houses by direct labour, and after conference with them, permission was granted on the 6th December to proceed with 100 houses subject to a detailed system of costing being adopted in connection with this work. The question of extending the number of houses to be built by direct labour to 500 was discussed between representatives of the Housing Committee and the Ministry on the 19th February, and it was agreed that the extension might be made provided that the Council agreed to a maximum being fixed for the cost per house.
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§ Mr. LUNNasked the Minister of Health whether sanction has been refused to housing schemes submitted by the Manchester City Council; whether the schemes were based on types of houses in respect of which plans had already been approved; and whether the rejection of the schemes at this late stage will involve considerable delay in the solution of the acute house famine in Manchester?
§ Dr. ADDISONSanction has not been refused to the housing schemes of the Manchester City Council, but it has been found impossible to secure a reasonable price for houses to be built according to the plans which were adopted by the Council and approved. The Council have been assisted in the preparation of alternative plans on which a satisfactory price has been arranged and a contract made for 1,000 houses. All plans for houses should be complete by the time the contractor has finished the preliminary work as to site, and no delay should result from the adoption of the new plans which will effect a considerable saving in cost.