Scotsman Archive: Conservative housing proposals 7 November, 1950

THE Conservative amendment to the Address in reply to the King's Speech, demanding that an extra 100,000 houses per year be built as soon as possible, was defeated in the House of Commons last night by 300 votes to 288, a majority of 12 for the Government.

Closing speeches by Mr Churchill and Mr Hector McNeil, the Secretary of State for Scotland, were made in an atmosphere of tension after one of the most bitter Parliamentary debates of recent years. In the afternoon Mr Bevan (Minister of Health) made a fierce personal attack on Mr Ernest Marples, MP for Wallasey, who opened the debate for the Conservatives, accusing Mr Marples, who is a building contractor, of leaving house-building for power station work – "following the profit motive" as the Minister termed his action. In turn, Mr Churchill attacked Mr Bevan, telling the House that the present rate of building did nothing to solve the problem; it only kept the situation as it was.