§ Mr. Studholmeasked the Minister of Works how many flats, of how many 1881W rooms, as distinct from the 22,000 requisitioned houses, are in Government occupation.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAt the end of September last the Government Departments, excluding the Health Departments who hold property primarily for residential purposes, held on requisition 4,914 flats. No information is available as to the total number of rooms in these flats. On the preceding 1st January the corresponding figure was 6,496. Every effort is being made to release flats as speedily as possible.
§ Mr. Studholmeasked the Minister of Works how many rooms used as commercial offices were requisitioned during the war; how many are still requisitioned; and how many civil servants were using such requisitioned premises a year ago and now.
§ Mr. TomlinsonAt the end of September last Government Departments held 3,113 requisitions of office premises. The corresponding figure on the preceding 1st January was 3,841. I regret that no record is kept of the number of rooms in requisitioned property since it is usual to deal with accommodation questions by reference to superficial feet of useable space. The number of civil servants in occupation of such space varies continuously and cannot be stated as at a year ago and could only be obtained for a current dale by inquiry of a large number of Departments who would themselves have to obtain the information specially at considerable expenditure of time and labour.