§ Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Health the number of houses at present under construction or sanctioned under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924; whether he is satisfied with the progress of construction at present; and can he make a statement?
§ Mr. GREENWOODOn 1st January, 1930, there were 25,096 houses under construction in England and Wales under the Housing Act of 1924, and 32,133 further houses were included in schemes 885W approved for financial assistance under that Act. No houses completed after the 30th September, 1929, are eligible for financial assistance under the Housing Act of 1923. Considerable numbers of houses (38,298 during the last six months for which figures are available) of a rateable value not exceeding £78 (or £105 in the Metropolitan Police District) are, however, being erected without financial assistance from the State. The discontinuance of subsidy under the Act of 1923 led not only to an acceleration of building before that date but also to a consequent reduction in the number of houses being built after that date. Recent figures of the proposals submitted by local authorities show, however, that the number of houses to be built is again increasing, and though I realise that the need for new houses has not as yet been met I am not, in the circumstances, dissatisfied with the progress being made.