§ 17. Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Health if he has considered a communication, dated 8th May, from the Sutton Cold-field Borough Council, with regard to the numerous applicants refused building licences under the four to one rule, who consequently have applied for corporation houses and requesting modification of the rule in view of local conditions; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BevanYes, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 26 of the White172W Paper on the 1947 Housing Programme. The numbers of private enterprise houses completed and under construction at Sutton Goldfield already exceeds the corresponding numbers of local authority houses, and the issue of further licences would be detrimental to the local authority's own programme.