HC Deb 08 June 1944 vol 400 cc1529-30W
Mr. Jackson

asked the Parliamentary Seceretary to the Ministry of Works, in view of the criticisms of the Churchill house, whether he will consider requesting county and other suitable authorities to submit plans and build prototypes of such houses that would be free from such criticisms.

Mr. Hicks

No, Sir. My Noble Friend cannot contemplate any such action which would involve very serious delay, for which the Government would be properly criticised. A new full scale model has been erected to show the modifications and improvements introduced as a result of the detailed study of the prototype and of the many helpful criticisms and suggestions received.

Mr. R. C. Morrison

asked the Parliamentary to the Ministry of Works if he will arrange for a Tarran house, similar to that recently erected in Hull, to be erected in London, or for photographs and drawing to be seen by Members.

Mr. Hicks

The Tarran house is one of a number of prefabricated projects for permanent housing which are in the experimental stage and for which facilities have been given by my Department by the issue of licences for materials and erection. All such propects are considered by the Committee on House Construction appointed jointly by the Minister of Health, the Secretary of State for Scotland and Minister of Works; and as I informed the hon. Member for Middlesbrough East (Mr. A. Edwards) yesterday, the committee's views have been communicated to Messrs. Tarran Industries Ltd. My Noble Friend will continue to give assistance.