Housing Hostel, Adwick 39. Mr. Bellenger asked the Minister of Works what was the cost of erecting the hostel at Adwick, near Doncaster; for what purpose it was intended; and whether it has been occupied since it was built. The Minister of Works (Mr. Duncan Sandys) The cost was about £95,000. With regard to the rest of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of Fuel and Power on 20th March. Mr. Bellenger For what purpose is this very expensive building now being used? Mr. Sandys The Question, of course, referred to the past use, and that was fully explained by the Minister of Fuel and Power on 20th March. The building has now been released by the Ministry of Fuel and Power and has been handed over to the Ministry of Health, who are ting evacuated children into the hostel. Those children will be coming in during the course of this month. Mr. Montague How many people can be accommodated in it? Mr. Sandys The hon. Gentleman had better put that question to the Minister of Health. Sir Percy Harris Is it not reasonable to assume that there will not be evacuees now that the bombing of London has stopped? Mr. Sandys It may be that I should have said refugee children. Mr. Evelyn Walkden Why do Government Departments resist suggestions which have been made that this hostel should be converted into accommodation for homeless persons who are actually being evicted now? Mr. Speaker That is another question. Aluminium Houses 40. Mr. Higgs asked the Minister of Works if the aluminium house designed by the Aircraft Industries Research Association will be available for inspection by Members of Parliament and the general public; and, if so, when and where. Mr. Sandys Only one prototype aluminium house has so far been constructed. This is at present undergoing transportation and erection tests. When these are completed in a few weeks time I propose to arrange for this prototype to be available for inspection by interested persons. Mr. Higgs Does the Minister intend to permit a large number of these houses to be manufactured before they have been properly tested and lived in? Mr. Sandys They must be manufactured before they can be lived in. Sir H. Williams As I was in one of these houses the other day and it had been completely erected, why cannot the public see it? Surely, there are no security grounds why this house, which is half a mile from the House, should not be seen? Mr. Sandys There is no secrecy about it, but there is only one prototype in existence and transportation tests are at present being carried out. These are very important, since the houses have to be taken long distances on lorries. As soon as these tests are completed the house will be made accessible to those who want to see it. Personally, I am not so very keen on these exhibitions. The country wants houses to live in and not to look at. Man-Power (Prisoners Of War) 41. Colonel Lyons asked the Minister of Works what decision has now been reached on the question of useful employment of prisoners of war on such urgent work as the preparation of housing sites, main drainage and sewerage extensions. Mr. Sandys The employment of prisoners of war on work of this kind is at present being considered, but I am not yet in a position to add anything to the statement I made on March 23rd. Colonel Lyons In view of the pressing need for work of this character to be completed, can the right hon. gentleman expedite a decision? Mr. Sandys Certainly Building Labour And Material, Liverpool The following Question stood on the Order Paper: 42. MR. LOGAN to ask the Minister of Works, in view of the priority rights of labour and material conceded to bombed areas, what action he has taken to provide labour and material for Liverpool. Mr. Logan On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the Question 42, I also put two other Questions, which now appear on the Order Paper as numbers 70 and 71 to the Minister of Health, to the Minister of Works. Could the Minister of Works reply to them? Mr. Speaker The Minister can only reply to the Question which is addressed to him. Mr. Sandys Except in a few cases such as London, where the needs are exceptional, labour has not for some time past been transferred to any part of the country for bomb damage repairs. Owing to heavy damage caused since last summer there is a shortage of certain building materials such as slates, plaster and plasterboard, but in the distribution of available supplies Liverpool has been given a fair share in common with other towns which have suffered heavy damage. Mr. Logan Is it possible for priority to be given to a seaport such as Liverpool, which has suffered such great loss, when London has had its job done? Mr. Sandys I think I explained yesterday how much more there is still left to be done in London, but even leaving that out of account, Liverpool and all other towns which have been damaged are in fact receiving their fair share of the total supply. There is a shortage, but they are getting their fair share, having regard to their need in relation to the needs of other towns. Building Priorities, Brackley 44. Mr. Manningham-Buller asked the Minister of Works whether it is intended to proceed with the erection of a block of buildings in the borough of Brackley for use by the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Labour; and whether the erection of such buildings will receive priority over the erection of housing accommodation and the execution of repairs. Mr. Sandys No project of this kind is being undertaken. Mr. Manningham-Buller Will my right hon. Friend inquire whether the journey of four officials to Brackley for this purpose was really necessary? Repairs, Westminster (Private Builders) 51. Brigadier-General Clifton Brown asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that a considerable amount of war damage repair work is being held up because the Westminster City Council, with the consent of the regional licensing officer, refuses to allow private builders to operate though they are in a position and anxious to do so; and whether he will cancel the power of local authorities to hold up work that is otherwise approved by the investigator. Mr. Sandys I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the general statement I made on this subject yesterday. Brigadier-General Brown Is my right hon. Friend aware that the investigator told the client that he would recommend the work provided he gave it to the local authority to do? Is it not a very dangerous precedent to give powers to persons when the client is perfectly willing to pay for it himself? Mr. Sandys I do not know exactly what my hon. and gallant Friend means by "the investigator," but I explained our policy fully yesterday. If this work is to be done quickly we must plan the job as a whole, tackling whole streets together. We cannot have builders leapfrogging from house to house and from street to street. We should never get the job done quickly that way. Brigadier-General Brown The thing could be done without any expense or holding up. Commercial Buildings, London (Rehabilitation) 43. Sir George Broadbridge asked the Minister of Works whether high priority will be given, when housing repairs are satisfied, for the rehabilitation of offices and commercial buildings in the City of London seriously damaged by enemy action, in consequence of which want of accommodation is acute. Mr. Sandys Shops, offices and commercial buildings have, wherever appropriate, received field dressing attention immediately after the incident. In many cases licences have been issued for some further work sufficient to enable the business to carry on. Subject to satisfying the most urgent needs for the repair of dwelling houses in London, it will I hope soon be possible to grant licences for this type of work rather more freely.