§ Mr. Joelasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that he is prepared to give sympathetic consideration to the proposals for the provision of a certain number of houses urgently required, and, in particular, houses for workers in factories and on the land, he can state, by counties, how many applications he has had since war broke out for housing construction of any sort to be subsidised by the State under existing legislation?
§ Mr. ElliotThe information asked for as to the number of applications is not readily available. I have approved, or indicated my willingness to approve, of the erection under the Housing Acts of nearly 3,000 new houses since the war, but the bulk of these, being for munition workers, would be unsubsidised. The number of houses approved for subsidy is 704, of which 333 are houses for agricultural workers. I am sending my hon. Friend a statement showing the counties to which the approvals for subsidy relate.
§ Mr. Joelasked the Minister of Health of what actual materials used for housing there is a shortage at the present time?
§ Mr. ElliotThe principal building material in short supply at the moment is timber, but steel is also in short supply for this purpose.