asked the Prime Minister whether in view of the progress disclosed by the latest housing statistics, he will now establish a Ministry of Housing and Planning combining the housing powers of the Ministry of Health with the planning powers of the Ministry of Town and Country Planning.

No, Sir.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has also missed page 9 of "Let us Face the Future," where this was specifically promised?

Yes, Sir.

May I ask whether these two conclusions commend themselves to the right hon. Gentleman: first, that quite apart from the policy of the present Government, the divorce of the departmental responsibility for housing from local government is quite impracticable, by reason of the responsibilities put on local authorities by the Housing and Public Health Acts; and, secondly, that the Ministry of Health is, in fact, overloaded at the moment, and with the passage of the National Health Act it might be possible to make a new Ministry specifically for health functions?

So far as I can judge, I would like to study those points in detail, but they seem to me to be completely incompatible.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.