asked the First Commissioner of Works the policy with regard to his Department in respect of the sale of houses in the Abbotsmead estate at Barrow; whether the houses are sold for immediate or early possession, or whether they are sold conditionally that the purchaser cannot have possession until they are vacated by the present tenant; and how many houses are for sale and how many have been sold?

The policy laid down 12 months ago in regard to all the estates under my Department is to sell whenever a suitable offer is received. As regards the second part of the question, vacant houses are, of course, sold for immediate possession, but the sales of occupied houses are always made, subject to the terms of the existing tenancy. All the houses on the estate are for sale, and 13 have been sold to date.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a tenant who is renting a house there is being turned out, because the house is being sold over his head?

We turn no tenants out. The sales are subject to the terms of existing tenancies. There are 40 empty houses on the estate to-day.

May I ask whether, before the right hon. Gentleman deter- mined upon his policy of sale only, he consuited his colleague the Minister of Health.

The policy was decided 12 months ago.