§ Sir EVAN JONESasked the First Commissioner of Works how many houses his Department has at the present time under construction for local authorities; how many more he has undertaken to construct; and what is the total estimated amount involved in each case, including the charges of his Department for administration, finance, risk and profit?
§ Sir A. MONDThe Office of Works are at present engaged on schemes for local authorities covering the erection of 3,736 houses. In addition, negotiations are well advanced for undertaking schemes covering approximately 3,513 houses. It is not possible at the moment to give the estimated cost of every scheme, but the total cost of the schemes referred to above is estimated at approximately £7,200,000, which includes a percentage of 2.75 to cover all overhead expenses, including architectural and contractual services.
§ Sir E. JONESasked the First Commissioner of Works what is the nature of the arrangement between his Department and the Ministry of Health for the supply of materials for the erection of the houses he has contracted to build for the local authorities; and whether he has obtained competitive prices for the supply of such materials from other manufacturers and merchants as well as from the builders' merchant section of the Ministry of Health?
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§ Sir A. MONDMy Department works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health with a view to taking advantage or any contracts made by the Director of Building Materials Supply. In any cases in which supplies are not available under contracts made, the Building Materials Supply Department, or where, owing to local circumstances, it is not considered advantageous to obtain supplies under such contracts, purchases are made from the trade on the basis of competitive tenders.
§ Mr. G. BALFOURasked the First Commissioner of Works whether, with reference to the erection of houses for the working classes by the Office of Works at the stated cost of £1,000 each, he can state if any are completed; if so, the actual accommodation and cost per house of each type to date, and the thickness of the outer walls; if any of the houses are not yet completed, when the first is expected to be complete; and the estimated value of the land for these houses and of the roads and sewers in cases where they are being constructed by local authorities?
§ Sir A. MONDThe number of houses actually completed for local authorities is 116. The accommodation is of three types—
The number of houses completed of each type is 36, 76 and 4 respectively. The actual cost per house cannot yet be definitely stated, as none of the schemes of which these houses form part is in a sufficiently advanced stage of construction to enable general charges for roads, sewers, transport, etc., to be allocated. The outer walls are of brick, nine inches thick. With regard to the last part of the question, I am not in a position to furnish the information, as these matters are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health.
- (1) Living room and three bedrooms.
- (2) Living room, parlour and three bedrooms.
- (3) Living room, parlour and four bedrooms.
§ Sir E. JONESasked the First Commissioner of Works the terms upon which he has contracted with local authorities for the construction of houses; whether his Department has undertaken in any case to complete houses for a fixed sum; what percentage on the cost of the houses his Department charges for 1456W administration, finance, risk, and profit; and if he will lay upon the Table of the House full particulars of all transactions involved before the Supplementary Estimates for his Department are taken in Committee of Supply?
§ Sir A. MONDMy hon. Friend is under a misapprehension as to the position of the Office of Works. My Department does not enter into contracts with local authorities for the erection of houses. Where my Department undertakes the erection of houses for a local authority, they do so at the request of the Ministry of Health, and merely as the agents of the local authority. In such cases the Department proceeds either by direct administration or by obtaining a contract in the ordinary course. In the former case, an estimate of the cost of the scheme is submitted and approved by the local authority and the Ministry of Health. As the Office of Works merely acts as the agent of the local authority, there is no question of any profit, but a charge of 2.75 per cent, will be made to cover all overhead charges. With regard to the last part of the question, I shall, if time permits, lay upon the Table of the House a Return relating to the housing schemes referred to.