HC Deb 27 March 1946 vol 421 cc31-3W
99. Mr. Orr-Ewing

asked the Minister of Works why the contract for slabbing for temporary houses at South Clevedon playing fields has not yet been fixed, in spite of the fact that the priced bill of quantities was forwarded to his Department on 13th December, 1945.

Mr. Tomlinson

After tenders had been obtained by my Department in December for the foundation and erection work for the temporary houses at South Clevedon, the local authority asked that they might complete this work, using the contractor they had employed for site development. The price quoted by this contractor was considered too high and negotiations for a reduction became therefore necessary.

100. Mr. Gammans

asked the Minister of Works what answer he has given to the Electrical Development Association in reply to their memorandum pointing out the inefficiency of the water heater installations in temporary houses; if these defects are being remedied in houses under construction; and why, in view of the wastage of current, they cannot be rectified in houses already finished.

Mr. Tomlinson:

My Department has already been in touch with the Electrical Development Association and further discussions are to take place with the Association and other interests concerned. I am not at present in a position to say more than that one of the recommendations of the Association is being adopted for future use.

102. Flying-Officer Bowden

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that sites and roads for another 343 temporary houses are ready in the city of Leicester, and that prefabricated parts are awaited for these sites; if he will expedite delivery of these parts; and how many temporary houses he expects to have occupied and ready for occupation by 30th June in this city.

Mr. Tomlinson:

No, Sir. The number of houses for which properly developed sites in the city of Leicester have so far been made available to my Department by the housing authority is 160. Foundations have been constructed for 139 houses, the prefabricated parts have been delivered for 104, and 57 have been completed. The completion of the remainder will be expedited as much as possible, and it is expected that by 30th June about 140 houses will have been finished.

109. Mr. Nutting

asked the Minister of Works whether any steps have been taken to expedite the delay in erecting prefabricated houses at Sileby, Leicestershire, sites for 21 of which have been completed since December, but for which no part of the structures have yet been received; and whether he is aware of the considerable dissatisfaction which this delay is causing locally.

Mr. Tomlinson:

The site in Leicestershire referred to in the Question forms part of a larger site, for which the housing authority elected to do the foundation work as well as the site development. In order to avoid delay, it was arranged in December last that my Department should take over responsibility for the foundation work on the Sileby Section, and a contract was let on 5th February. Work is proceeding, but houses cannot be delivered until the foundations are complete.

111. Sir W. Smithers

asked the Minister of Works how many prefabricated houses are held up for occupation on account of shortage of interior fittings; and how many baths and other interior fittings are surplus to requirements in Government Departments.

Mr. Tomlinson:

At the present time about 15,000 temporary houses are having interior fittings installed. I am not in a position to state precisely in how many of these cases completion is delayed by a shortage of particular fittings but the number is not relatively large.

The number of baths held by Government Departments surplus to requirements is about 200. These and other interior fittings surplus to Government requirements are of miscellaneous patterns and generally are unsuitable or are not required for making good the shortages in temporary houses.