§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREasked the Minister of Health whether he has received a memorandum on ready-money houses, prepared by Councillor Palmer, of Norwich, and forwarded with the approval of the finance committee of the Norwich City Council; whether he notices that under this scheme the local authority is to receive interest-free money for 40 years for clearing slums and building houses, with the result that the charge per house is one-third of the cost under the present method, and houses can be let at a rent of 6s. 2d. per. week, inclusive of rates and water charges; and whether, after consultation with the Treasury, he will consider the desirability of adopting this scheme?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI have seen the proposal to which the hon. Member refers of substituting for the present method of direct Exchequer aid to local authorities a method of indirect subsidy 1517W by means of loans free of interest. I very much doubt whether it would be practicable to find such large sums of capital money out of current revenue as is suggested, but quite apart from this consideration I am of opinion that the present method of direct subsidy is preferable to the one proposed.