157. Sir W. Darlinģasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider granting housing subsidy and licences to local authorities and others who convert large single tenancy houses into suitable flats for letting at economic prices.
§ Mr. Buchanan:If these converted houses were to be let at economic rents, I am not clear why there should be any question of the payment of a subsidy. Local authorities, who have power under the Housing (Scotland) Acts to acquire and convert houses suitable for the working classes, have also been authorised to grant licences to private persons for the construction and conversion of houses within certain limits of price, provided they are satisfied that this will not prejudice progress with the building of new houses under their own schemes. Apart from this, measures to facilitate the modernisation of existing houses have been under consideration by the Scottish Housing Advisory Committee, whose report my right hon. Friend expects to receive shortly.