HC Deb 09 May 1892 vol 4 cc364-5
MR. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the Midland Railway Act (ch. xxxix.), 1889, which gives that Railway certain powers to acquire land in the Borough of St. Pancras, subject to a provision inserted (on representations made by the Home Office) placing restrictions on the Company in regard to displacing persons of the labouring classes; whether he is aware that, whilst large numbers of the inhabitants of the district have been evicted from their dwellings under this Act, to their inconvenience and to the consequent loss of the trade of the locality affected, no steps have up to the present been taken to re-construct artizans' dwellings under Clause 31 of this Act; and if he will cause inquiry to be made into the subject?

MR. MATTHEWS

Under the Midland Railway Act of 1889, to which the hon. Member refers, the Railway Company only acquired power in the parish of St. Pancras to take a portion of the churchyard, and the statements in the question are not relevant to proceedings under that Act in the parish of St. Pancras. By the Midland Railway Act of 1890 the Company did take powers to acquire houses in the parish of St. Pancras in the occupation of the labouring classes, but the Company have not cleared, or caused to be cleared, any of the houses referred to, and have done nothing, and will do nothing, in that direction pending the erection of artizans' dwellings. In accordance with the Act, the Company have for this purpose submitted a scheme which, after careful examination, I caused to be amended in certain particulars. Thus amended, the scheme has been submitted by the Company for my approval, and I have every hope that proceedings to give effect to it will be commenced at an early date. I am not aware of any circumstances calling for inquiry.

MR. WEBSTER

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, from his reply, I understand rightly that all the clearances have been done by private individuals, and not by the Midland Railway Company?

MR. MATTHEWS

That is exactly what I intended to convey.