asked the Minister of Health if he will instruct local authorities to deal without delay with all applications to eliminate dry rot occurring in houses.

As indicated in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works on 6th November, the position is fully appreciated by local authorities, and I do not think any further instruction is called for. In this connection, I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular issued to local authorities on 7th January, 1944, on the subject of dry rot in unoccupied houses.