asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider making an increase in the present allocation of 65 permanent houses for the current year in the Barnstaple rural district, an area of 130,000 acres with a population of 21,500, about 600 of whom are waiting for houses.

The programme of new construction in the rural district for the current year was for 144, and not 65, houses. This total represented a fair share of the building resources in the zone as estimated at the time of the zonal conference, and an increase now would only delay the completion of houses by the authority and their neighbours.

Is the Minister aware that the figure of 144 is not in accordance with a letter written to me by the council as a result of the zonal conference?

I am afraid that as there is a conflict of fact, the hon. and gallant Gentleman and I had better have another meeting about it.