§ MR. HORNIMAN (Chelsea)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that many houses built for the occupation of one family only are constantly let in tenements without any provision being made for proper sanitary accommodation for the same or an adequate water supply; whether he is aware that in many cases the only sanitary accommodation for four or more families is situated on the ground floor, sometimes in the back yard, and water can only be procured from one tap in the basement or on the ground floor; and whether he proposes to take any action by legislation or otherwise to deal with this state of things.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am aware that as regards houses originally built for the occupation of one family, but subsequently let in tenements, evils of the kind mentioned in the Question are apt to arise. The existing law confers, on local authorities considerable powers for dealing with such cases, as, e.g., outside London the power of making bye-laws under Section 90 of the Public Health Act, 1875, as to houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family, and in London the power given by Section 37 of The Public Health (London) Act, 1891, as to sanitary accommodation, and the provision in Section 78 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907, as to the supply of water to tenement houses. I will, however, cause the suggestion for further legislation on the subject to be noted.