§ 36 and 37. Mr. A. Lewisasked the Minister of Housing andLocal Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) what action he proposes to take to assist and encourage local authorities to build more houses to let to those in the lower income groups; (2) whether he is aware that the housing problem is most severely felt by those on limited incomes, on local authority housing lists, and that since 1951 local authority housing has fallen from 141,587 to 65,971 houses, for the first three quarters of this year; and what action he proposes to take, by way of reduced interest charges or subsidies, to enable local authorities to build houses at the 1951 rate of completions.
§ Sir K. JosephConditions today are very different from 1951. Building for owner-occupation had greatly increased and in some areas there is little orno need for more council houses. Those authorities with urgent problems of slum clearance and shortage are being given every encouragement to build and will share in the rising programme of house building. Subsidies are under review, but meanwhile local authorities which follow realistic rent policies should have no difficulty in providing houses at rents their tenants can afford.