§ Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Minister of Health what was the total number of inhabited houses in England and Wales, respectively, in 1921; and what is the number of inhabited houses built in each of these two countries since the 1921 census up to the end of 1923?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYAccording to the 1921 census, the total numbers of structurally separate dwellings occupied by private families, including those temporarily vacant on the census day, were 7,450,405 in England and 528,249 in Wales and Monmouth. The number of houses erected with State assistance since the date of the census to the end of 1923 was:
Complete information is not available as to the number of houses erected during the period in question without State assistance, but according to returns obtained in March and September last year (the former of which did not cover rural districts outside the Metropolitan Police District) 41,533 houses in England and 2,188 in Wales and Monmouth were completed by private enterprise during the year ended 30th September, 1923.
England … 152,715 Wales and Monmouth … 11,318
Viscountess ASTORasked the Minister of Health how many houses had been completed by local authorities and private enterprise, respectively, under the Housing Act, 1923, up to 1st February last?
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§ Mr. WHEATLEYUp to the 1st February last the numbers of houses completed by local authorities and private enterprise under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, were 2,511 and 2,169 respectively.
§ Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Health whether schemes are still being put forward under the proposals of the Housing Act, 1922; the number of subsidy grants sanctioned in each week since 1st January this year; and if local authorities have been advised by his Department in respect of proceeding under the old proposals or awaiting the new?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYSchemes for the provision of houses under the Housing Act, 1923, are still being put forward by local authorities and approved by my Department; I am not advising local authorities that they should await the introduction of new housing proposals. The numbers of houses in schemes authorised by my Department under the Housing Act, 1923, in each week since the 1st January are as follow:
Week ending— 9th January … … … 4,474 16th January … … … 2,300 23rd January … … … 2,252 30th January … … … 1,653 6th February … … … 2,634 13th February … … … 2,327 20th February … … … 3,767 27th February … … … 4,077 5th March … … … 3,229