§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider his decision conveyed in his letter of the 5th May to the town council of the Borough of Kidderminster, when he declined to declare that council the authority within their own district under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, in view of the fact that it is unlikely that there is any property in the borough to which the Act can apply, and that it is undesirable that an administration already dealing with their own housing matters should ho joined with a county scheme in reality pertaining to districts outside the borough?
565W
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI have carefully considered, in consultation with the Worcestershire County Council, the application of the Kidderminster Town Council to be constituted the local authority for the purposes of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, to the exclusion of the county council; but I do not consider that any sufficient reason has been shown for granting this application, with the effect of excluding the borough from the cost of the scheme which the county council have caused to be prepared for the county as a whole.
(A) Housing, Town Planning, etc. Act, 1919. STATEMENT showing the average prices of houses included in contracts let, and approved estimates for the carrying out of direct labour schemes by local authorities in the County of Durham (including Associated County Boroughs) during the under-mentioned years. Year Houses included in contracts let by local authorities. Houses included in direct labour schemes of local authorities. Non-Parlour. Parlour. Non-Parlour. Parlour. £ £ £ £ 1920 … … … … 900 992 841 980 1921 … … … … 742 880 709 776 1922 … … … … 427 420 434 Nil. 1923 … … … … 325 400 330 390 The above average prices exclude the cost of land, roads and sewers.
(B) Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924. STATEMENT showing the average prices of houses included in contracts let, and approved estimates for the carrying out of direct labour schemes by local authorities in the County of Durham (including the Associated County Boroughs) during the under-mentioned years. Year. Houses included in contracts let by local authorities. Houses included in direct labour schemes of local authorities. Non-Parlour, Parlour. Non-Parlour. Parlour. £ £ £ £ 1923 (5 months) … … … 372 414 354 500 1924 … … … 386 424 401 462 1925 … … … 420 443 420 493 1926 … … … 409 451 418 470 1927 (4 months) … … … 403 459 388 Nil. The above average prices exclude the cost of land, roads and sewers.