asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to adhere to the policy that local authorities shall build their permanent houses in the ration of four to let and one to sell, in view of the desire amongst returned ex-Servicemen to spend their gratuities in acquiring a home for themselves and their families.

The most urgent need continues to be the building of houses for letting, and the present restrictions on the building of houses by private persons for sale must therefore be maintained. Local authorities were urged in June, 1945, to give consideration to the special housing needs of Servicemen.

Am I to understand from that answer that the hon. Gentleman is still determined to tie himself to the antisocial housing policy of the incompetent Minister of Health?

I have some difficulty in following the question about the four to one ratio in Scotland. May I say, speaking from memory, that in only two districts is anything near to a four to one ratio being worked, and that in most of Scotland the local authorities have never asked for anything approaching this?