§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that 1,000 houses have been built at Warrington, the economic rent of which, including a sum for purchase by instalments, works out at 8s. 4d. per week; whether he can state the circumstances and special financial arrangements which enabled these houses to be so cheaply constructed; and whether he proposes to draw the attention of other local authorities to the success of the experiment?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI have not received any recent report upon these houses. So far as I am aware, they were not built under any special financial arrangement. The corporation paid, as other corporations have done, a subsidy of £100 a house and made advances on mortgage to the builders or purchasers of the houses. I may add that I understand that the purchasers do not acquire the freehold of the houses, but remain under a liability to pay a ground rent. Under arrangements made by my predecessor, subsidy is no longer available towards the cost of houses which are built for sale.