§ Mr. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Health when he proposes to call for tenders from local builders for the building of agricultural cottages in Wiltshire?
§ Mr. E. BrownAll the local authorities concerned in Wiltshire have now advertised for tenders. It is open to local builders to submit tenders in response to those advertisements.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Macnamaraasked the Minister of Health to what factors he attributes the price difference in tenders for the 3,000 rural houses varying between 727 and £ 1,499?
§ Mr. BrownMaterial factors are that the tenders in question relate to different schemes in different parts of the country; the tendering was carried out under different conditions; and schemes differ substantially in scope. Moreover, the fact that many contractors are tendering for the first time under war conditions of housebuilding is no doubt contributing to produce a wider variation than usual between the highest and lowest tenders. The highest tender referred to in the Question has not, of course, been approved for acceptance.
§ Colonel Carverasked the Minister of Health the present position in point of 1796W construction of the rural houses allotted to East Yorkshire?
§ Mr. BrownNo actual construction has yet started in East Yorkshire. A tender for re) houses has been approved and tenders for the other 56 houses allocated to the East Riding have either been received by the rural district councils or will be received by them within the next week.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Macnamaraasked the Minister of Health what tenders have been accepted for the rural cottages allotted to Essex; and what are the dates of completion accepted by the contractors?
§ Mr. BrownTenders for six houses allocated to the Epping rural district council have been accepted; work is to commence next Monday; the time for completion is three months.