THE HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES. (Hansard, 23 July 1903)

§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)
In asking leave to 90 introduce a Bill to amend the law relating to the housing of the working classes, I should explain that the measure is the redemption of the promise I made during the debate on the king's Speech to deal with some of the, minor points in regard to which difficulties have arisen under the existing Housing of the Working Classes Acts. The Bill proposes the extension of the period of repayment of loans from 60 to 80 years, a discretion being still reserved to the Local Government Board as to particular cases. The period of 80 years will apply to loans for the purchase of freehold land, but a shorter period, according to the discretion of the Department, will be applied to loans for buildings. It is also proposed by Order in Council to transfer to the Local Government Board the duties which are now divided between the Home Office and the Local Government Board. Where re housing obligations are cast upon local authorities or individual owners, the Standing Orders which now have to be inserted in each individual Bill will be made applicable to all case under the Housing Acts. The central authority will be empowered to act where the local authority fails to move when a recommendation has been made by the medical officer of health. An endeavour is made to improve the procedure for approving schemes. If and order proposed to take land by compulsion and no owner concerned objects, that order will have the effect of a Provisional Order or Act of Parliament without any further procedure. But if there is any objection, the order will follow the ordinary course of a Provisional Order Bill and will have to receive the assent of Parliament. It is proposed to invest the Local Government Board with power to modify schemes presented by local authorities. At present the Department possesses no such power, and the absence of it frequently tends to great delay and difficulties. The powers with regard to closing orders are strengthened, and the difficulties which now exist with reference to case of demolition of condemned buildings are dealt with. At present the cost of the condemned buildings sometimes renders it impossible for a local authority to proceed in the matter, and by the Bill it is proposed to give the local authority the power to recover from the owner the excess of cost 91 after the sale of materials as they would recover a civil debt. The local authority is also placed in the position of a landlord in cases of condemned buildings or buildings taken over by the local authority. The absence front the local authority of the powers of a landlord to eject has often proved a serious difficulty, and the Bill proposes to invest it with these powers of eviction. Power is also given under the Bill to local authorities to provide shops as a part of the provision of dwelling or lodging accommodation. Various other minor matters are dealt with in the Bill, which it is hoped will remove the practical difficulties which have been found to exist. I introduce the Bill as a modest and, I hope, non-controversial measure, as a step in the right direction, and I trust the House will consider it in that spirit, and enable us to place it on the Statute-book.

§ MR. EUGENE WASON (Clackmannan and Kinross)
Will the Bill apply to Scotland?

§ MR. WALTER LONG
No.