HC Deb 01 August 1904 vol 139 cc270-1
MR. CATHCART WASON

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board if he proposes to take action on the Report of the Departmental Committee on Physical Degeneration, with reference to the recommendation that in all towns above a certain size the local authority should establish and maintain an accurate register of owners, and that this practice was one of the first desiderata towards dealing with slum property.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.

The Report of the Departmental Committee on Physical Deterioration has only been issued within the last few days, and the evidence taken by the Committee has not yet been published. I have not at present been able to consider the recommendations made by the Committee, though of course I shall do so. I may, however, say that the particular suggestion to which the hon. Member refers is not a new one, and there would be considerable difficulty in giving effect to it.