asked the Prime Minister the total cost to be borne by Government funds as a result of the mistake of the Ministry of Civil Aviation in failing to inform Government Departments concerned of the new plans for the extension of Heathrow aerodrome; and how many houses had been started on the site concerned upon which work has now had to cease.

No claim for compensation has yet been submitted by the appropriate local authority to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. I am therefore unable to estimate the cost falling on Government funds. Some 20 houses on which work had commenced are affected; in 12 cases the foundations only had been laid; in the remaining eight construction of the walls had begun but had not been carried beyond ground floor sill level.

In view of the very unfortunate nature of this incident and of the likelihood of such incidents recurring as a result of recent and future Socialist legislation, can the Prime Minister assure the House that instructions have been issued to prevent such incidents occurring again?

Yes, Sir

Is this, in the words of the Labour Party manifesto, treating housing as "a military operation"?

I do not see that that has anything to do with it.