§ Mr. Draysonasked the Minister of Labour what is the reason for the recent increase in charges to the residents of the Industrial Hostel, Barnoldswick; what profit was made by the hostel for the last financial year, or alternatively, to what extent was the hostel subsidised from public funds; is the hostel fully occupied at the present time; and, if not, what plans he has for making the surplus accommodation available to the general public.
§ Mr. IsaacsThe reasons for the forthcoming increase in charges to the residents of Government Industrial Hostels are set out in my reply of 2nd July to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. William Paling), to which I would refer the hon. Member. Detailed figures of the losses on individual hostels are not available. During the 1945–46 financial year the deficit incurred by the National Service Hostels Corporation, Ltd., in managing industrial hostels on behalf of my Ministry was approximately £230,000. This figure excludes the substantial cost of rents and of heating and maintenance services provided by the Ministry of Works, the figure for which is not available. The Hostel is not fully occupied at present. Industrial hostels are provided 33W by the National Service Hostels Corpora-tion to meet the needs of certain specified classes of transferred workers for whom the accommodation must be reserved in the national interest. In these circumstances it is not practicable to make accommodation, temporarily surplus to requirements, available to the general public.