§ Mr. GILBERTasked the Under-Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, 518W as representing the Ministry of Health, whether his Department asked since the end of the War for all local authorities to send in a return of the number of new houses required in each municipal and county area; whether his Department has received or asked for any return from the same authorities as to how the demand for new houses has been supplied during the last four years; and, if so, can he publish the figures of both returns in a White Paper?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS:A survey of the housing needs of local authorities was made in 1919. No such return as is referred to in the latter part of the question has been called for, and in view of the difficulty of obtaining reliable estimates it is not considered that such a return would justify the labour and expenses involved in its preparation.