Housing

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 March 1945.

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Photo of Mr Duncan Sandys Mr Duncan Sandys , Lambeth Norwood 12:00, 23 March 1945

I have explained to the House that there are a number of processes which have to be gone through. I do not know what stage the particular sites to which the hon. Gentleman has just referred have reached. But I can assure him that I watch these things very closely, and I ask the House to accept my assurance that there is no undue time-lag in these various stages. We must do the job economically. It is no good placing contracts for half-a-dozen houses at a time; we must do the job on a reasonable scale, otherwise prices, to which some hon. Members have already taken exception, will rise above what they are now. House components and various internal fitments come from a number of different factories, and have to be collected at central depots, from which they are distributed in complete sets to the sites. There is, therefore, a considerable pipeline to fill before the deliveries can actually start.

The programme is now just starting. It is no good laughing at the small numbers. It is the beginning and beginnings are necessarily small. That does not mean to say that the programme is not going to be a large one or that it will not be stepped up rapidly. About 400 houses are now in course of erection and rather over 1,000 have left the factories. They are now coming off production at the rate of about 300 a week. As the programme develops, the rate of output will increase and, in spite of the continuation of the war, I am hopeful that by the end of June some 10,000 sets of house components will have been delivered to the depots and about 4,000 will by then be erected and ready for occupation. Several hon. Members have asked whether the resources of local builders will be used. I am very glad to give the assurance that, in all normal cases—there will be exceptional cases—we intend to invite local builders to tender for contracts for the erection of these temporary houses.

The pressed steel temporary house has been mentioned by a number of Members. I recently reviewed the position. The factory capacity needed for this project is still engaged on war production and will not be available before the Autumn. It therefore seems unlikely that the pressed steel temporary house could be in large production until the Spring of next year. I think we should hesitate to start production of this new type of temporary house at so late a date. I have, therefore, been examining the possibility of producing a pressed steel two-storey permanent house in place of the pressed steel temporary bungalow. These investigations are not yet completed, but, as far as they have gone, the project appears to be promising. If this proposal proves practicable, a large part of the jigs, tools and plant prepared for the temporary house will be of use for the permanent version. There is no secrecy about all these things. The hon. Member for Peckham suggested that the aluminium house was surrounded with mystery. The aluminium house only passed its technical tests this week. I do not think it is unreasonable that we should not invite the public to look at something which is still in the development stage. As soon as we decide that that is a type which is going into production, it will be shown to the Press and the public and, if hon. Members like to go and see it, they will be very welcome.