§ * SIR CHAELES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the 1628 President of the Local Government Board whether the attention of the Local Government Board has been directed to a notice, advertised in daily and other newspapers circulated in London, of an application to the justices in quarter sessions, to be heard on Tuesday next, for an order to stop sixteen streets so far as some 4,800 feet of such streets are unnecessary by reason of certain building schemes; whether he is aware that it is elsewhere alleged that by such schemes there will afterwards be opened other streets which will more than compensate the public; whether the Local Government Board have any means of forming an opinion as to the nature of the working population likely to be displaced, and as to the possibility of housing such population in the neighbourhood; whether during the two years which is estimated as likely to pass before the houses on six acres of the property in question are pulled down, the President of the Local Government Board would offer the good offices of himself or his department with a view of conferring with those interested in order to make some provision for re-housing the population affected.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS,) BatterseaI have made inquiry on this subject, and I understand the facts to be as stated. I have no definite information as to the nature of the working population displaced, but I should anticipate that there would be difficulty in housing now the population in the neighbourhood. I find that the Chelsea Borough Council have for some time been in communication with the promoters of the scheme with regard to the persons of the working class who will be displaced, and that they have obtained some concessions, but not altogether what they desired. They have not, however, succeeded in inducing the promoters to undertake to provide housing accommodation for the persons displaced, but they have obtained some extension of the period of displacement. I do not think I could expect to be more successful if I acted on the suggestion made in the last part of the Question, but I will consider what can be done.
§ * SIR CHARLES DILKEI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Government have 1629 considered the possibility of legislation to restrict the destruction of more than a certain area of town property below a certain average rateable value without the submission of schemes showing possible provision for the accommodation of those rendered houseless in extension of the legislation which imposes such obligations on those asking for Parliamentary powers.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSProposals of this kind have from time to time been considered by the Local Government Board, but they have not seen their way to proposing legislation on the subject. I will, however, take notice of the suggestion of my right hon. friend.