§ 72. Mr. Willisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of house conversions for which licences have been granted in Edinburgh; the number of houses that will be made available by these conversions; whether the houses will be for sale or to let; and whether he is satisfied that this work is not interfering with the progress that is being made by the corporation in completing houses to let.
§ Mr. BuchananSince August, 1945, licences have been issued for the conversion of 161 properties, providing 432 separate houses. Precise figures are not available, but I am informed that some 75 per cent. of these houses are intended for sale. In addition to 632 temporary houses completed and 223 under construction, the corporation have 1,371 permanent houses under erection. Some time ago, as a result of representations which I made to them in the interests of progress on their own schemes, the corporation imposed restrictive conditions on the issue of licences for conversion work and I had a subsequent meeting with the housing committee in April on the matter. While I have no evidence to suggest that housing progress is being retarded because of conversions at the present time, I shall continue to keep the question under close review.