asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the average annual figure for completions of new houses in Scotland was in the periods 1945–51 and 1951–63.

The average annual numbers of houses completed by all agencies, including temporary houses, in the periods 1945–51 and 1952–63 were 20,857 and 31,502 respectively.

Can my right hon. Friend add to that satisfactory reply any forecast about the progress of slum clearance?

I have told the House that our aim is to increase the number of Houses to 40,000 a year. If this is achieved, we should hope that 20,000 of these would be available directly for slum clearance purposes.

Is it not disappointing that, taking the first period mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman, the figures rose from 2,000 within the average for the first year to 28,000 after three years, whereas, in the second period he has taken, the total fell from 39,000 completed in 1953 to 28,000 last year? How does he explain that?

In exactly the same way as I have explained it to the House on many occasions. As anyone who has even looked at the problem understands, we have moved from building on comparatively easy green sites to central redevelopment of towns and that is bound to be slower and more difficult.