§ Sir D. MACLEANasked the Secretary for Scotland if he will give the latest available figures as regards the progress made under the Government's various housing schemes, showing the total number of houses finished and occupied, the number of houses in course of erection, the number of houses sanctioned but not started, and the lowest prices recently obtained for houses; what further number of houses are the Government prepared to sanction in order to complete the number declared by Members of the Government to be necessary in 1919; and what further number they will sanction to replace the houses which have already been condemned by local authorities as unfit for human habitation?
§ Mr. MUNROAs at 31st December last, the Scottish Board of Health had approved tenders for the erection by local authorities and public utility societies in Scotland of 21,344 houses, and 5,272 of these had been completed, 4,963 had been occupied, 11,849 were in course of erection, and 4,223 were not commenced. In addition, 3,167 certificates of approval of houses under the private builders' subsidy scheme had been issued, and 1,221 of these houses had been completed. At the same date, 106 certificates of approval of houses under the crofters' subsidy scheme had been issued, and one house had been completed. As few tenders have been submitted since July last, I have little information as to current prices for houses, but in one recent case tenders were received for three-apartment flatted836W houses at £634 per house. An addition of 1,050 houses has been made to the limits announced for Scotland last Session, and in present circumstances the Government cannot undertake to extend this further. As already announced, an annual grant of £30,000 towards the improvement of slum areas will be available for Scotland.
§ Mr. BETTERTONasked the Minister of Health the number of houses now actually completed under the facilities provided by the Housing Acts of 1920, and the number of houses in course of erection?
§ Sir A. MONDThe number of houses completed by local authorities and private builders up to the 1st February was 111,833. In addition 3,174 other dwellings have been provided by the conversion of houses into flats, or by the conversion of huts and hostels. The number of houses in course of erection is 79,208.