asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what reply he gave to the latest representations made by the rural district council of Epping and Ongar regarding the Blackmore and Doddinghurst sewerage scheme.

The council was told my right hon. Friend had decided that this scheme was not so vitally urgent as to justify loan sanction in present circumstances, but that it would be among the first to be reviewed as soon as the current restrictions on capital expenditure were relaxed.

May I thank my hon. Friend for that undertaking to review this scheme and ask him to recall that the scheme goes back very many years and is exceedingly vital not only to the local people but to agriculture in that part of the county?

The importance of the scheme, from many points of view, is recognised.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will initiate during the months of September and October a national cleaning, grassification, planting and tree planting campaign; if he will ask for the co-operation of all local authorities, industry and other Government Departments; if he will invite other countries, and rural areas in this country, to send gifts of trees to cities and industrial areas; and if he will ask the Forestry Commissioners and other interested bodies to send saplings and other friendship gifts of plants, turf, &c., during this campaign;

(2) if he will consult the Minister of Education during the cleaning, grassification and tree planting campaign with a view to ensuring the co-operation of education authorities, teachers, students and children in the organised protection of trees, plants, turf and cleanliness, the development in each area of a local desire to care for and protect trees, plants, turf, and the keeping of each area clean and tidy.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take steps to secure the planting of more trees in urban areas.

Trees can contribute a great deal to the charm and cheerfulness of our streets; and I think most of us would be glad to see many more of them. I am today sending a circular to local authorities asking them to make a continuing effort to get more trees planted in towns and villages, where this is appropriate. In particular, I am urging authorities who are carrying out schemes of slum clearance and redevelopment not to miss this unique opportunity to introduce more trees into those areas. In addition, I am having an illustrated technical manual prepared which will give advice on tree planting in towns and will, I hope, help to stimulate interest in this matter.

While appreciating that reply, may I ask the Minister to consider taking some step, such as making a broadcast himself, to stimulate more interest in this subject, especially in industrial centres, so that we can improve the appearance of our country as quickly as possible?

On a point of order. I know that the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith) would never inflict such words as "grassification" on us if he could help it. I wonder whether you, Mr. Speaker, could tell us how we might be protected from being confronted with such words on the Order Paper?

That is not a point of order at all.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this policy will give general satisfaction, especially to those of us who for years have been pressing for more official encouragement of tree planting?

In view of the statement which he has just made, which we all welcome, would the right hon. Gentleman call for the assistance of "Men of the Trees," who are very helpful on this subject?

I am most anxious to have the co-operation and interest behind this policy of all who care about this matter. I also think that there is a lot to be said for interesting children in this subject from the very start, and the circular which I am sending to local authorities specifically mentions that point.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the increased demand for technical books consequent upon the growth and development of mining communities in Trent Vale, Meir, Hanford, Newstead and Blurton; and whether he will accordingly reconsider his refusal to allow the construction and operation of public libraries by the city of Stoke-on-Trent.

The only scheme for a new library submitted to my right hon. Friend by the Stoke-on-Trent City Council since the war is one for Meir. While he appreciates the city council's desire to provide better library facilities for the growing population of this area, my right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot see his way, in existing circumstances, to sanction a loan for this purpose.

Those of us who go about the country see huge blocks of flats and offices going up in all the big cities and, if that can take place, surely it is a reasonable suggestion to make that provision should be made for miners, in particular, to have access to technical books? Will the hon. Gentleman ask his right hon. Friend to consider the matter in the light of this supplementary question?

If capital expenditure by local authorities is to be restricted as the national situation requires, then expenditure of this kind must for the time being be deferred.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many compulsory purchase orders by local authorities of land for housing were opposed by local objectors in 1954 and 1955; and how many compulsory purchase orders, so opposed, were confirmed by the Minister.

There were objections during 1954 to 263 compulsory purchase orders made under Part V of the Housing Act, 1936; and during 1955 to 181. Out of these 444 orders, 353 were confirmed (many subject to modification), confirmation of 75 was refused, nine were withdrawn, and seven are still to be decided.

Is the Minister aware that in many areas with a very long housing waiting list there is an acute shortage of building land? In view of this fact, and the great difficulty which local authorities have in obtaining land for housing, will the hon. Gentleman view these compulsory purchase orders sympathetically in future, and will he also consider whether there is any other way in which he can enable local authorities to acquire the land they must have if they are to carry out his express desire to continue council building?

Each case is and must be considered on its merits, but I suggest that a ratio of five orders confirmed to one not confirmed does not show that local authorities are failing to get the land they require. The hon. Lady asked if there is any other method. There is, of course, the method of acquisition by agreement, which many local authorities pursue successfully.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take with the British Broadcasting Corporation for again ignoring the planning authority by erecting a square brick building at Rundle-stone in the Dartmoor National Park to house a pump for boosting water to the television station in North Hessary Tor; and to what extent his previous stipulation that all buildings connected with the station should be of local stone remains in force.

This is a matter for the planning authority, which I understand is in touch with the B.B.C. about it. The last part of the Question is based on a misapprehension.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary inform the B.B.C. that it is not above the law and should consult the planning authority before putting up a building of this kind instead of the planning authority having to get into touch with the B.B.C. afterwards?

But this is a matter for the Dartmoor National Park Committee, which is a committee of the planning authority.

Whilst regretting that the B.B.C. should have trodden on the toes of the planning authority, may I ask my hon. Friend if he would suggest a coat of roughcast on this brick building, because then it would fit in quite nicely with the landscape and would harmonise with the other rough-cast buildings in the neighbourhood, which I suggest the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Hayman) has never noticed because it is at least 70 miles from his constituency?

The planning decision to which the Question refers does not impose requirements of a particular material, but only that the material should be agreed with the local planning authority.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now take steps to forbid the erection in Battersea Park, at a cost of £50,000, of a high tower, in view of the desirability of reducing unnecessary and unproductive building work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were his reasons for granting planning permission for the erection of a tower in the Battersea fun fair.

I apologise for the fact that this is a very long answer.

The proposed tower in Battersea Park has been criticised by some on the ground that it is unnecessary and that, therefore, in the present economic situation, the expenditure involved is undesirable. That may be quite true. But it has no relevance to my decision. Planning controls were never intended by Parliament to be used for regulating capital investment, and it would be quite improper and impracticable to try and use them for that purpose.

The tower is also objected to on the ground that it will be an unsightly and incongruous feature. There are many people, and I am one of them, who think that Battersea Park was not the best place to choose for a fun fair. But rightly or wrongly, Parliament so decided, and thereby accepted the inevitable disturbance of the peaceful character of the park and river bank.

In the setting of a popular amusement garden it is difficult to maintain that an illuminated tower is out of place; and having regard to the illuminated landing-stage, coloured flood-lighting, Chinese lanterns, switch-back, water chute and other fun fair attractions, not to mention the neighbouring chimneys and gasometer, which are very much higher, I honestly do not believe that the addition of this tower will appreciably affect the amenities of the park or the general character of the scene.

The new tower may not be a thing of great beauty, but there is no need for it to be an eye-sore; and I have no doubt that it will give pleasure to a great many people.

Whilst appreciating that my right hon. Friend has taken his decision in this matter on town planning and not on financial grounds, is he aware that there are those who think that he has been misled by the London County Council in this matter, because not until yesterday afternoon did anybody at the L.C.C.—either the panel or the Town Planning Committe or the Council itself—ever consider this matter, and the only person who has done so, as far as I know, is the Chairman of the Committee?

First, I am assured that the procedure followed in the London County Council—though its internal affairs are not my business—was correct. In any case, I am not seeking to shelter behind the L.C.C. I accept full responsibility for my decision, and the views of the London County Council were only one of a large number of considerations which I took into account.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, in all the circumstances, most people will think the Minister's decision at least a reasonable one? Could he tell us the height of the tower and how it compares, for instance, with the well-known tower at Blackpool?

The new tower will be about 160 feet. I understand that the tower at Blackpool is more than three times as high. Furthermore, I think it is worth mentioning that the Battersea tower will be to some extent screened by trees up to about half its height.

If this expenditure is against the national interest and the result will be as ugly as the right hon. Gentleman says, why does he not reintroduce building controls to stop this kind of thing instead of clamping down on public libraries and rural sewerage schemes?

I do not think we want to make this into a party issue.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what action he proposes to take, following the Report of the Committee on Synthetic Detergents; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement as to the action he proposes to take to implement the recommendation of the majority report of the Committee on Synthetic Detergents for State control over the composition of household synthetic detergents; and if he will forthwith take whatever action is necessary to ensure that manufacturers will clearly stipulate on their packets the need to rinse hands and crockery in clean water after washing with detergents.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the findings of the committee appointed to inquire into synthetic detergents and their effect upon rivers and sewerage work, and of the special circumstances that exist in and around Nottingham, as the merging point for the waters of many Midland counties, the effects of these detergents being prominently revealed on these rivers, if he will treat this matter as one of urgency and indicate the action he proposes to stop this permanent and continuous damage.

I am examining the Committee's recommendations. Before making any statement, I propose to give reasonable time for all concerned to consider the Report, which was published only a few days ago.

When he is considering the matter, will the right hon. Gentleman take into account, in particular, the health factor? Is he aware that, according to the Report, it is possible for excessive phosphates to enter into the drinking water that other people may have to take?

Yes, Sir; naturally, the health considerations are among the most important.

Might I support what my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) has said?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what mileages, out of the 78 miles over which formal rights of way have not yet been negotiated, of the North and South Cornish coastal footpaths, respectively, are open to the public.

Approximately 30 miles of the North Coast Route and 28 miles of the South Coast Route.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary do what he can to speed up the acquisition of the public rights of way over this long mileage, and will he bear in mind that only yesterday I had notice of an encroachment on public rights of way on the Helford River?

The hon. Gentleman's last point is a separate matter. The work of acquiring rights of way is going on. There are now only 20 miles out of a total of 268 on these two routes which are not used by the public.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to give a decision on a site for the proposed new district hospital at St. Austell.

My right hon. Friend has just given his decision.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that that news will be received with great satisfaction? [HON. MEMBERS: "How do you know?"] Whatever may come to pass, the hospital management committee wants to go ahead with plans for the new hospital.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he refused the application of the Abertillery Urban District Council for a loan sanction to proceed with a proposed recreation ground at Cwmtillery.

Because of the Government's decision to place an embargo for the time being on local authority loans for all but the most urgent purposes.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the township of Cwmtillery, the National Coal Board is engaged in the expenditure of between £1 million and £2 million in capital investment, but that that money will be of no avail if miners are not forthcoming to enable the plans to be carried out, and that miners will not remain indefinitely in a place so devoid of ordinary amenities? Is the hon. Gentleman prepared to receive a deputation from the Abertillery Urban District Council on this urgent and, in our estimation, necessary matter?

I am aware, from my own personal knowledge, of the need for this kind of facility in the Tillery valley, but this is a type of expenditure which, for the moment, must be deferred by reason of the economic situation.

Before the Minister arrives at this decision, will he pay another visit to the valley and, in particular, to Cwmtillery, which is an important part of the South Wales coalfield? Does he not realise that actions of this kind are no inducement to the miners to produce the coal that we require?

The importance of the facility is fully recognised, but if local authority capital expenditure is to be restricted as is at present necessary, this type cannot at the moment be allowed to go forward.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has not answered the second part of my supplementary question, which was about a deputation.

I cannot help that.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, in view of the need to have more information in respect of the size of the gypsy problem and the issues involved, if he will cause an investigation to be held on a national basis with a view to finding the best methods of dealing with the situation and so follow the enlightened policies of other European countries in dealing with gypsies.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to look into particular local problems, but there does not appear to be any need for a general investigation.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that, as these developments take place, the position of the gypsies worsens, even when houses are built against their traditional camps? Is he not aware that local authorities are not solving this minority problem? When will the Government face their responsibilities, as other European Governments have done, to deal with the matter when unnecessary hardship is being created? Is he not aware that, if this position is not remedied, hon. Members on both sides of the House who call themselves Christian should hang their heads in shame?

All these problems vary from place to place and with the nature of the employment of the persons concerned and the particular difficulties. I am still waiting for the hon. Member to send me details of a particular case which he has in mind.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of that answer, I shall continue to ask Questions until the matter is resolved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused at Ely, Cardiff, by noise from the Western Welding Company factory; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has recently agreed to the lease by the Cardiff Corporation of some land on which the company intends to erect a new factory building further away from the houses. The work will then be done under cover, instead of in the open as at present, and matters should improve.

Is the Minister satisfied that this proposal will eliminate the noise problem for these Ely residents, who at present are having their lives made a misery by this factory?

The local authority has attached to the planning permission such conditions as it thought necessary to preserve the peace of the neighbourhood.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in respect of the revision of local government.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will now make a statement about the reorganisation of local government.

I hope to publish the White Paper on local government organisation quite soon.

Does that mean that the Minister will arrange, if possible, for a debate on his proposals in the White Paper?

Let us first get the White Paper published and then see about the debate.

rose—

We will have to wait to see the White Paper.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will consider, as a temporary measure, an appropriate percentage derating of shops and other commercial premises to ease the inequitable burden imposed on them by the recent revaluation.

No, Sir. I do not think it would be a good thing to take piecemeal action in advance of the completion of our general review of local government finance.

That may take a long time. Does my right hon. Friend realise that in Nottingham, which may be considered a typical example, the average increase in the rateable value of shops is six times as great as in the case of dwelling houses, and that for dwelling houses with shop accommodation it is three times as great? Does he think it is right that thousands of small shopkeepers should be treated so unfairly compared with other ratepayers for at least four years?

As I have explained, the review is already well advanced. We hope to be in a position to discuss precise proposals with local authority associations in the autumn, and we hope to be able to announce our general conclusions on the policy as soon as possible after that.

Is the White Paper which the right hon. Gentleman promised to include finance as well as re-organisation?

No, it has always been made quite clear that the two subjects are being reviewed separately. The White Paper to which I referred was that on local government organisation as distinct from finance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give further details of the Amble Urban District Council water supply scheme for the village of Radcliffe, Northumberland.

The scheme submitted by the Amble U.D.C. would enable it to give bulk supplies outside its district, including a supply for that part of the Alnwick rural district in which Radcliffe lies. However—and this corrects what I regret was an error in my reply to the hon. Member on 19th June—it would be for the rural district council to decide what places should be served and to prepare a scheme accordingly, and no scheme for supplying Radcliffe has been submitted.

Is the Minister aware that, unless this scheme materialises, this village, which contains at least 200 miners—which, incidentally, was my birthplace—will decay? Will he give the utmost sympathy to any schemes which come before him in future?

The initiative lies with the rural district council, but anything which it puts forward will be carefully considered.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware of the proposal to utilise valuable allotments at Petworth for building council houses, although more suitable sites are available; and if he will therefore use the powers under the Town and Country Planning Act to call in the planning permission granted for this development with a view to amending it.

My right hon. Friend can find no grounds to justify his taking this decision out of the hands of the local planning authority.

Would my hon. Friend be surprised if I were to inform him that there is a great deal of local feeling in this matter; that the local planning authority in this case has adopted Hitlerite methods, and that the rural district council put up a very reasonable plan as long ago as 1947? Will he look into this matter again?

I have looked into this matter with some care, and I find that the proposal to which the Question refers is a proposal of the rural district council itself.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of my hon. Friend's reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will encourage the full utilisation of available national housing resources by taking steps to require local authorities to give an undertaking to the owner of an improved or converted property that repayment of a proportionate part of the grant will be accepted within the period of 20 years and the property thereby freed from restriction on sale if the sale of the property arises from some reasonable cause.

In a circular issued last October, I asked local authorities to consider sympathetically any application to repay grant in these circumstances and to consult me before refusing such an application. Any further steps would require amending legislation.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the great satisfaction this will give, bearing in mind that considerable numbers of properties require improvement in this way?

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the continuing practice of advertising unfurnished flats, rooms, and houses to let and wanted coupled with the mention, under various descriptions, of large sums of money for obtaining occupation; and if he will introduce legislation to stop this practice.

There is no need for further legislation. The law already prohibits the charging of a premium or an excessive price for furniture and fittings in respect of houses to which the Rent Acts apply. In the case of houses outside the scope of rent control, no problem arises.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this cynical exploitation of homeless people is continuing unchecked, because the earlier legislation has proved in practice to be a dead letter, and does he not feel any sense of responsibility?

Answer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the continued anomaly confronting thousands of people living in unsatisfactory housing conditions who are, through no fault of their own, unable to gain admittance on to any local authority's housing list, due to the wide variance of application of the priority need and basis; and whether he will now take powers to allocate houses on a national basis.

I am, of course, aware of this problem. None the less, I think it best to leave local authorities to choose their own tenants.

I appreciate that the Minister is aware of the problem, but is he also aware of the problem confronting local authorities? Is he aware that there are in the East End of London thousands of people who have been bombed out three or four times and who cannot get on any housing list at all? Will he not, at least, ask the local authorities where the people are now living, where they were living, or where they hope to live, to help these people by taking them on their housing lists?

I think that that is enough for one supplementary question.

Might I have an answer to my question?

Mr. Lewis, Question No. 15.

Are right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite not now interested in the bombed-out people? They were interested in them during the war? [Interruption.]

Has the hon. Member finished?

No, I have not finished. On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I asked a genuine, sincere supplementary question on behalf of people who have been bombed out, and I expect the Minister to give me an answer.

I have no doubt about the sincerity of the question. I waited for the Minister to answer, but he did not do so, and so I called the next Question.

I resent the jeers of wealthy hon. Members opposite who have three or four houses.

The hon. Member should not let that bother him. Mr. Lewis, Question No. 15.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further consideration has been given to the problems, respectively, of families urgently needing accommodation who, for technical reasons, cannot be accepted for any local authority housing list and of persons or families who are homeless and need accommodation in half-way homes or similar centres.

Advice on these problems is contained in two reports prepared last year by the Central Housing Advisory Committee. These reports were sent for information to all housing authorities, and I am sending copies to the hon. Member.

I thank the Minister for so intending. Is he aware that in many parts of the country—hon. Members must be acquainted with this—there are tragic cases of families having to walk the streets, having been evicted from their houses and unable to find accommodation? Does the recommendation he sent to local authorities cover that point?

The advice given is very comprehensive.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take such action as will ensure that, for the next six months, there shall be no increase in the price of the goods and services coming within the control of his Department, and further to ensure that local authorities are not compelled to increase rents and other services within their control due to Government action, so as to assist in curbing the present inflationary spiral.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given him yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply. As regards the rents of council houses, the Government's policy was fully explained in the debates on the Housing Subsidies Act.

I heard the earlier reply. It was no good at all. Is the Minister aware that the council rents to which he has referred are going up and will go up? Can he now give us an assurance that, when he comes to deal with the Rent Restriction Acts, no action will be taken on his part to increase rents, so as to assist in curbing the inflationary spiral? May I have an answer to that question?

I understand that the statement of policy recently issued by the Labour Party—

I was not asking about that.

—involved the transfer of all privately-owned rent-controlled houses to local councils. The first effect would be, of course, to put up the rents all round.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that expression of opinion arises out of an insufficient perusal of the proposals and insufficient understanding of what they are?

In view of the difficulty confronting people in housing and the unsatisfactory nature of the replies given to me, I give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has sent to local authorities regarding the provision of houses for midwives; and whether he will take steps to place a responsibility on local health authorities to shoulder such a financial charge in respect of a service which is the responsibility of such health authorities.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of the guidance sent to local authorities. The second part of the Question is for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, but I understand that local health authorities already have power to provide dwellings for midwives.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the case that I have in mind, which affects Rugeley Urban District Council in Staffordshire, there is some disagreement between the health authority, which is the county council, and the urban district council as to the financial responsibility? Is it not possible to lay the responsibility fairly and truly on the shoulders of the health authority, in the same way as the financial responsibility for police housing is arranged? Is he further aware that in the urban district there are far too few midwives, for the simple reason that there are no houses for them, and that this is creating a very difficult situation?

The question of police houses is, of course, one for the Home Secretary. As far as I can gather from what the hon. Gentleman has said, I think the point that he is raising is one for the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) the total number of houses planned to be built in the new towns for the London and Middlesex areas; and the total number built at the latest convenient date;

(2) the number of families transferred from the London and Middlesex areas into the new towns being built for these areas at the latest convenient date.

Houses built in new towns are not earmarked in advance for families coming from particular parts of Greater London. I understand that by the end of last year the eight new towns in the Home Counties had provided houses for about 8,000 families from the County of London and about 7,900 from Middlesex.

Will the Minister pay special attention to the London and Middlesex areas? As he knows, local authorities are running short of housing sites, while housing lists are growing longer and longer. Will the Minister bring out new plans to give families in London and Middlesex some hope of being housed in the near future?

This is a matter which is constantly before me, and I have had discussions only quite recently with the L.C.C. I expect that house building in the new towns around London will continue at the rate of about 10,000 houses a year, and, of course, the County of London and the County of Middlesex get a very substantial proportion of those houses.

At the present rate of progress, when will the L.C.C. be able to meet its housing requirements? Is it not time that the Minister did some more, not only in the way of new towns, but for over-spill around London and other urban centres such as Birmingham and Manchester?

The hon. and learned Member well knows that these are matters which I am actively discussing with the local authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice he has now given to local authorities on caravan sites where a housing shortage persists.

My right hon. Friend has not yet issued any general advice on this subject; he hopes to consult the local authority associations shortly.

Does not my hon. Friend agree that caravans on properly serviced sites are better housing accommodation than the conditions which many on the waiting lists are now undergoing?

That is one of the points which my right hon. Friend wants to discuss with the local authority associations.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that of the 53,341 families on the category A housing list of the London County Council, only 1,000 can expect to be housed this year; and whether, in these circumstances, he will make a special grant to increase the provision of further accommodation.

I am well aware of the housing difficulties in London. I understand that this year the L.C.C. expects to have over 8,000 houses to offer to families on its housing lists. A high proportion of these will be families from slum houses which are being demolished.

Is the Minister aware that, allowing for slum clearance developments, where people have to be rehoused, only 1,000 applicants in the most urgent category will be rehoused this year? Is he not appalled by the fact that, as a result of the Government policy, so many thousands of people in London are for ever denied the hope of being rehoused except in their coffins? Has the Minister no conscience in the matter at all?

The fact that the L.C.C. has decided to give a higher priority to slum clearance is a very good thing indeed. It shows that the policy behind the Housing Subsidies Act, 1956, is now beginning to work and have its effect. As I have said before, we on this side of the House, at any rate, think that it is only fair that families living in slum conditions should now begin to get a rather bigger share of the new houses which are being built.

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now say what site he has approved for Manchester's future municipal house-building programme.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on 5th June.

When will the right hon. Gentleman stop dithering about this matter which he has had before him for two years? He has had innumerable consultations with Manchester Corporation and the surrounding authorities. He admits the validity of Manchester's claim and its housing needs. All its available land will be exhausted by the end of next year. When will he consider doing something about that?

It is rather important that the local authorities concerned should try to find a solution which is agreeable to all concerned. That is what I am still trying to do. If it is not possible, then we shall have to consider what alternatives are open to us.

Due to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware of the proposal to build, by private enterprise, a new town at All Hallows-on-Sea, Kent; and whether, in view of the importance of assessing the needs of overspill on a national scale, he will require all applications for planning permission in this area to be referred to him.

I am aware of this important proposal, but I think it right that it should be considered in the first instance by the Kent County Council, which is the local planning authority.

Does not the Minister agree that the question of overspill and new towns far transcends particular local interests, as in this case? Will not he bear in mind the feeling which will exist in London, Manchester and other places which are being held back in their need to treat overspill, that this is an attempt to leave the problem to speculative building? Will the right hon. Gentleman take the matter into his own charge?

In this case, the main problem is to provide houses for workers in the new oil refinery on the Isle of Grain. I am keeping in touch with the Kent County Council about this proposal. When I know its views, I will consider the wider implications of the whole project.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of the male labour force employed in Coventry at the beginning of the years 1946, 1951, and 1956, respectively.

Estimates of the total numbers of employees are compiled in respect of the end of May only in each year. The estimated total numbers of male employees in employment in Coventry were 110,200 at end-May, 1951, and 122,300 at end-May, 1955. Comparable figures are not available for 1946.

Do not these figures demonstrate that in recent years about 10,000 men must have come to the city of Coventry from other towns? Does not it demonstrate the fact that there is a good deal of mobility of labour? Cannot we conclude from that that any man who is unemployed in Coventry may be able to find a job in the town from which he came?

The figures show that rather more than 10,000 men were added to the labour force in Coventry. It does not necessarily mean that they came from outside, although I am quite sure that a number did. Of course, it is true that there is a good deal of mobility of labour—much more than people think. I believe that in the manufacturing industries one person in three changes his job every year.

Is not this a rather horrifying argument for the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) to employ? Is it not a fact that, although a man can be trained to do certain work, it is a very different matter to put him into another industry? Is it not a fact that many of these people are rather young? The argument used by the hon. Member for Twickenham is not the sort which should be employed in these days.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that discrimination is being practised at employment exchanges against workers who have been declared redundant by Standard Motors; and if he will take steps to stop this happening.

No, Sir; but if the hon. Member were to write to me and explain what he has in mind, I would certainly look into his complaint.

Is the Minister aware that there are plenty of examples of men who have been to the exchanges and have been told to look for jobs themselves? Ought not the Ministry's officials to try to get these men jobs? When they have not that assistance and try to get jobs elsewhere, and the new employers find that they are ex-employees of Standard's, they are told, "I am sorry; the job is filled."

The hon. Member has no right to make such a serious charge against the staff of employment exchanges unless he is prepared to produce evidence to support it. I have asked for that evidence, and if the hon. Member produces it I will look at it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 95 districts of the Factory Inspectorate are without staff possessing university degrees in engineering or chemistry or physics; how many districts have more than one such graduate; and how these figures compare with those of the year 1939.

There are now 96 districts. Of these, 36 have no inspectors with the qualifications in question and 11 have more than one such inspector. For 1939, when there were 92 districts, the corresponding figures are 24 and 23.

In view of the fact that only one-third of the districts would therefore appear to have the necessary qualified staff, would the Minister tell us what action he proposes to take now so as to make the position better than it has been up to date?

No, not yet. The question of the technical strength of the Inspectorate is the most important matter, which is now before me as a result of the Departmental committee, of which the hon. Member is aware.

Is the Minister not aware that his Department is dismissing a considerable number of experienced inspectors with practical qualifications who have been serving the country faithfully for many years? In view of the extreme shortage of inspectors, why does he not reverse that policy?

We are nearer the establishment of inspectors than we have been for a very long time. Whether that establishment of inspectors should be increased and whether it needs to have more technically qualified people is the very matter which is now being considered.