View report page

143
inquire into and report on the means of the industry to carry out a full housing
programme. This Committee, in their report * dated 10th April, 1924, suggested
a programme of building over 15 years, proceeding progressively to a maximum
production of 225,000 houses annually and representing a total of 2,500,000 houses.
To meet the deficiency of skilled labour available in the building trades, the Committee
recommended that every effort should be made to facilitate the technical
training of apprentices and the removal, for a time at least, of the restrictions as
to the number of apprentices which one employer might have. The Committee
also suggested a special form of apprenticeship for youths up to 20 years of age.
Conference of
local
authorities.
At the invitation of the Minister of Health representatives of local authorities
in Great Britain met in conference under the chairmanship of the chairman of the
Council's Housing Committee, and passed a series of resolutions on the subject
of the housing shortage. The conference were doubtful of the sufficiency of the
proposals of the National House Building Committee, and made recommendations
which were subject to a sufficient supply of labour and materials at reasonable
rates and prices being available, and to a periodic review of the situation. These
decisions of the conference were to the effect that local authorities should retain
their autonomy as to fixing the number of houses to be built in their respective
districts, with power to suspend operations at any time; that the Government should
bear two-thirds of the loss incurred on approved expenditure (with some increase
in rural areas and small urban districts); that the fixation of rents should continue
on the basis laid down in the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919; and that
the dimensions of houses laid down in the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, should be retained.
The recommendations of this conference were submitted to and discussed with
the Minister of Health, and, in the main, were accepted by him. The Council,
on 27th Mav, 1924, approved generally the resolutions passed bv the conference.
Legislation
The Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, the main purpose of which was
to give effect to the agreement thus arrived at between the Minister of Health and
the representatives of local authorities, received Royal Assent on 7th August, 1924.
The Act provides for a programme extending over a period of 15 years and aiming
at the production, at a gradually increasing rate, of approximately 2,500,000 houses
in Great Britain. The Exchequer contributions under the Housing, etc., Act,
1923, towards the expenses of local authorities in providing houses or promoting
the construction of houses by private enterprise or other bodies are continued
until 1939.
The Act provides that houses which are subject to certain "special conditions"
as to their letting and to the amount of rent to be charged for them, and which
are completed before 1st October, 1939, shall be eligible for an increased Exchequer
contribution of £9 (£12 10s. in an agricultural parish) a house per annum for 40
years. The most important of the " special conditions " imposed by the Act is
that which limits the rents of the houses in the aggregate to the " appropriate
normal rents" charged in respect of pre-war working-class houses. The Act
contemplates a maximum contribution from the rates of £4 10s a house per annum
for 40 years, and the " appropriate normal rents " may only be exceeded in order
to obviate any charge upon the rates in excess of that amount. The Exchequer
liability may be terminated in the event of the production of houses, as ascertained
triennially, falling short of two-thirds of the full programme proposed, or of the
cost of houses being found, after full inquiry, at any time to be unreasonable. The
rates of Exchequer contribution are subject to review every two years.
A committee representative of employers and operatives in the building
industry and of manufacturers and suppliers of building materials have expressed
*Report (Cmd. 2104) of the National House Building Committee on the present position in
the building industry-
11908 K 2