§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, whether, in view of his request to certain urban district councils entitled to receive the Exchequer subsidy to estimate, under the housing Regulations, the annual average loss arising out of their housing schemes from March, 1922, to March, 1927, and in view of the impossibility of estimating such future losses with any degree of accuracy while the councils are in the dark as to what the outgoings for future local rates will be several years in advance, and without 530W knowing what will be the effect on rents of unemployment, the fall in wages, and other unascertainable contingencies, he will say what is the objection, if any, to the Ministry using the annual audited accounts of local authorities by which to settle their annual loss on housing schemes?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERI am advised that the suggestion made by my hon. Friend is not one which complies with the terms of the Housing Act and it is not, therefore, open to me to adopt it. In any case I regard it as essential that the annual payments made by the Exchequer should be determined in such a way as to throw the responsibility for administration of the schemes upon the local authorities.