Viscountess ASTORasked the Minister of Health, the exact floor area of the 122 non-parlour houses now being erected for the Birmingham city council; what is the maximum rent at which these houses with a floor area of less than 600 square feet are to be let; and in what districts are smaller houses than these being built by local authorities?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe superficial area of the houses to which I assume my noble Friend refers is 572 square feet. I understand that the Birmingham Corporation propose to let them at a rental, inclusive of rates, of 8/11½ a week. As regards the last part of the question, I would remind my noble Friend that, under the Act of 1923, I have no power to pay subsidy in respect of two-storey houses having a superficial area of less than 570 feet, and, so far as I am aware, no such houses have been erected.