61.
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is satisfied that sufficient special financial help has been, and will be, given to local authorities who have suffered loss from the floods on the night of 31st January, 1953; and if he will state the amount of such help given during the year which has elapsed.
The financial help given will be sufficient to prevent any undue burden falling on local rates. Final settlements cannot be made until complete expenditure figures are available, but substantial payments on account have been made. The total amount paid to date to all local authorities other than river boards is £434,490.
62.
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the progress made in the rebuilding and repair of houses and roads in the year which has elapsed since the great flood disaster of 31st January, 1953.
I understand from the Lord Mayor's Fund that about 75 per cent, of the repairable houses damaged in the floods last year have been completely repaired. I have no information about the 500 houses or so which were totally destroyed. Precise information about progress on damaged roads is not readily available, but taking the East Coast as a whole, the work seems well forward.