§ Mr. W. HIRSTasked the Minister of Health the number of houses that have been erected by local authorities by direct labour for the years 1919 to 1925, inclusive; and the average cost of such houses as against similar types of houses erected by private contractors for the said local authorities?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINUp to 1st March, 1926, 13,371 houses were completed by local authorities, in connection with direct labour schemes, under the Housing Acts, 1919–1924. I regret that I have no details of the final average costs of these houses which would enable me to make a comparison with the costs of houses built under contract.