§ Mr. LYLEasked the Minister of Health what is the lowest rate now quoted for the erection of any house to be subsidised by the State; and what further decline in price is necessary to be productive of an economic rent?
§ Sir A. MONDThe lowest tender price approved recently is £367 for a non-parlour house with three bedrooms, which, with normal charges for land, etc., would mean an over-all price of, say, £430. This is, of course, one particular case, and I should hesitate to base general conclusions on it or to give any general answer to the second part of the question beyond observing that, if the price level for this class of house came down to the above figure or nearly approached it, I should certainly expect private enterprise to be able to take up again the provision of working-class houses.
§ Sir B. CHADWICKasked the Minister of Health whether his Department has formulated any definite opinion as to the price to which building tenders will have to fall before an economic rent is obtained; and whether, in that case, he will state what is, so far as housing schemes promoted by local authorities are concerned, the figure in question?
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§ Sir A. MONDI would refer to the answer on this subject given to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Lyle) to-day.