asked the Minister for Local Government if he will introduce legislation immediately to increase to £2,000, the market value of £1,000 prescribed under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts and upon which the amount of loan advanced is based, in view of the increased cost of building and to assist and encourage the erection of dwelling houses so urgently needed in the country.

I do not propose to introduce legislation to increase to £2,000 the market value of houses for the purposes of the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts. The question of assisting and encouraging the erection of dwelling houses by facilitating operations under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Acts has to be considered in the light of the supply of resources available for building purposes.

Are we to understand from the reply that it is the policy of the Government to discourage private enterprise in the way suggested?

The policy of the Government is to afford a measure of assistance which bears some relation to the supply of materials available for building.

Has the Parliamentary Secretary any regard at all for the want of facilities for people other than those who can avail of these Acts in respect of workmen's dwellings? Is it his policy to do nothing at all for what are known as the white collar fraternity, those people who do not come under the heading of workmen and who cannot avail of the facilities provided by the Small Dwellings Acts?

The Deputy evidently has not read the report published recently on the amount of building carried out in 1946 and the amount to be carried out in future, including private building. It is considered that the scope of the assistance provided for private building is sufficient in the circumstances.