§ Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Minister of Works if he will now give further details in explanation of the increased cost of workers' homes which have risen from a prewar figure of £375 to over £1,000; and if he will bear in mind that the increased cost of bricks for such a house is not more than £30.
§ Mr. WilsonThe houses now being built incorporate improvements in size and amenities and I cannot accept the figures in the first part of the Question as a fair comparison of the prewar and present cost of house building. For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Bucklow (Lieutenant Shepherd), of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy, a useful and authoritative comparison cannot be made in present conditions. The increase in the cost of bricks suggested by my hon. Friend is consistent with the information given in my answer to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Maude) on 15th October, and I would refer my hon. Friend to other items in that reply, and particularly to the additional cost of timber.