§ Mr. TURNERasked the Minister of Health how many housing schemes were sanctioned by the late Government under the housing schemes; how many schemes were suspended owing to the economy decision; how many houses were declared to be needed; how many were sanctioned; and how many have been actually erected?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe total number of houses which will be provided is 176,000, included in over 4,500 schemes. In addition, 39,181 houses have been provided under the builders' subsidy scheme. The total number of houses completed on the 1st instant was 198,183. It is not possible to state how many additional schemes would have been proceeded with if the previous assisted scheme had been continued. According to the survey made by local authorities in 1919, the gross estimate of the number of houses required to meet the shortage due to overcrowding was 506,700. In view of the difficulty of obtaining reliable estimates, however, it must not be taken that I regard this as representing the effective demand for houses.