MR. GEORGE FABERI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether he can state the number of empty houses in London and Leeds, respectively.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS, Battersea)I have not been able to obtain any later information on this subject than that contained in the Report of the Census of 1901. According to that Report, the number of houses which were uninhabited on the night of the Census, 1901, was in London 40,069, and in Leeds 6,300. Of these, however, 24,098 in London and 2,832 in Leeds were in occupation, i.e., were in use for business or other purposes, but were without inmates on the Census night. This leaves 15,971 houses in London not in occupation, and 3,468 in Leeds.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI have perused many figures official and otherwise, and it would be safe to say there are now more empty houses both in London and Leeds, due to better education and the removal of people from slum districts, from small to better houses.
MR. GEORGE FABERIs it not also due to unemployment and the shaking of the confidence of the people in the security of all kinds of property?