THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked His Majesty's Government if they are aware that local authorities now erecting Swedish timber houses have never been informed of the price they will be charged for the wooden sections, and have therefore no idea of what the cost to their ratepayers will be; if it is realized that if any private firm were to emulate this Governmental inefficiency, it would speedily go bankrupt; and that only their desperate need for houses induces local authorities to accept this most unsatisfactory state of affairs; and if they will state forthwith the price of these timber sections.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)A circular will be issued very shortly telling Rural District Councils the price which they will be asked to pay for the timber sections and internal fittings of Swedish houses. This price will be less than the cost and is designed to bring the cost to the Local Authorities into relation with the cost of building a traditional house of comparable size.
54WAIt is regretted that Rural District Councils were not informed sooner, but there were difficulties due to the fact that certain items in the total cost, for example, storage and transport, could not be accurately estimated in advance. My right hon. friend the Minister of Health is not aware, however, that there has been any reluctance on the part of Rural District Councils to accept the Swedish house on this account.