§ MR. HELME (Lancashire, Lancaster)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state how many persons have taken advantage of the provisions of the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Act, 1899, since it came into operation; and how many loans under the Act have been granted, respectively, in London and in the country.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) As regards London the County Council have granted thirteen applications for advances under the Act, the amount advanced being £2,450. They have also sanctioned loans by the Metropolitan Borough Councils of sums amounting to £5,195 for twenty-seven advances. As regards the rest of England and Wales the Local Government Board have sanctioned loans amounting to £108,716 for advances under the Act. This sum is made up of £98,470, sanctioned in respect of 453 advances, and £10,246 in respect of applications for advances anticipated but not actually received when the loan was sanctioned. Twenty-three advances are known to have since been made out of this amount. I am not able to state the precise number of persons who have taken advantage of the Act.