Rural Workers

HC Deb 23 August 1945 vol 413 cc829-30W

Mr. Eccles

asked the Minister of Health if he intends to introduce legislation to amend the Housing (Rural Workers) Acts.

Sir R. Glyn

asked the Minister of Health when the Housing (Rural Workers) Amendment Bill will be reintroduced.

Mr. Keeling

asked the Minister of Health how the Government propose to encourage the reconditioning of rural houses.

Mr. A. Bevan

It is not proposed to re-introduce the Housing (Rural Workers) Amendment Bill in the immediate future, but further consideration will be given to the whole question when the shortage of skilled building labour is eased.

Mr. Tiffany

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the advisability of setting up a commission on rural housing.

Mr. Bevan

The field of rural housing was exhaustively investigated by the Central Housing Advisory Committee as recently as last year, and their findings were published in a report, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. I do not think that a further inquiry is necessary at present.

Mr. S. Shephard

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many of the houses recently built for agricultural workers are unoccupied because of the reluctance of such workers to pay the rent required; and what steps he proposes to overcome this difficulty.

Mr. T. Williams

Twenty-six of these houses, most of which have only recently been completed, were unoccupied at the end of last month. In only a few districts has there been any difficulty in finding agricultural workers who wished to become tenants.