HC Deb 30 August 1909 vol 10 cc103-9

(1) It shall be the duty of every local authority within the meaning of Part II. of the principal Act to cause to be made from time to time inspection of their district, with a view to ascertain whether any dwelling-house therein is in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation, and, if on the representation of the medical officer of health, or of any officer of the authority, or information given, any dwelling-house appears to them to be in such a state, to make an order prohibiting the use of the dwelling-house for human habitation (in this Act referred to as a closing order) until in the judgment of the local authority the dwelling-house is rendered fit for that purpose.

(2) Notice of a closing order shall be forthwith served on every owner of the dwelling-house in respect of which it is made, and any owner aggrieved by the order may appeal to the Local Government Board by giving notice of appeal to the Board within fourteen days after the order is served upon him.

(3)Where a closing order has become operative, the local authority shall serve notice of the order on every occupying tenant of the dwelling-house in respect of which the order is made, and within such period as is specified in the notice, not being less than seven days after the ser vice of the notice, the order shall be obeyed by him, and he and his family shall cease to inhabit the dwelling-house, and in default he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty shillings for every day during which the default continues.

(4)The local authority may make to every such tenant such reasonable allow- ance on account of his expense in removing as may be determined by the local authority with the consent of the owner of the dwelling-house, or if the owner of the dwelling-house fails to consent to the sum determined by the local authority, as may be fixed by a court of summary jurisdiction, and the amount of the said allowance shall be recoverable by the local authority from the owner of the dwelling-house as a civil debt in manner provided by the Summary Jurisdiction Acts.

(5) The local authority shall determine any closing order made by them if they are satisfied that the dwelling-house in respect of which it has been made has been rendered fit for human habitation.

If on the application of any owner of a dwelling-house, the local authority refuse to determine a closing order, the owner may appeal to the Local Government Board by giving notice of appeal to the Board within fourteen days after the application is refused.

(6)Where an appeal is made to the Local Government Board under this Section the Local Government Board shall not dismiss the appeal without having first held a public local inquiry.

(7) A room habitually used as a sleeping place, the surface of the floor of which is more than three feet below the surface of the part of the street adjoining or nearest to the room, shall for the purposes of this Section be deemed to be so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation, if the room either—

  1. (a) is not sufficiently protected against dampness, effluvia, or exhalation; or
  2. (b) is not sufficiently ventilated; or

(c) is not in every part thereof at least seven feet in height from floor to ceiling; or

(d) is not, to the extent of one foot at least in height, above the level of the surface of the part of the street ad-joining or nearest to the room; or

(e)has not one or more windows opening directly into the external air, with a total area clear of the sash frames equal to at least one-tenth of the floor area of the room, and so constructed that one-half at least of each window of the room can be opened, the opening in each case extending to the top of the window; or

(f) is not provided along the entire frontage thereof with an open area properly paved, at least four feet wide in every part thereof: Provided that in the area there may be placed steps necessary for access to the room, and over and across the area there may be steps necessary for access to any buildings above the room, if the steps are so placed in each case as not to be over or across any external window.

This Sub-section shall not come into operation until the first day of July nineteen hundred and ten.

Amendment made: In Sub-section (7), after the word "be" ["of this Section be deemed to be"], to insert the words "a dwelling-house."—[Mr. Burns.]

Question put, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill."

The Committee divided: Ayes, 159; Noes, 31.

Division No. 553.] AYES. [8.20 p.m.
Acland, Francis Dyke Cotton, Sir H. J. S. Glover, Thomas
Adkins, W. Ryland D. Cox, Harold Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford
Agar-Robartes, Hon. T. C. R. Crean, Eugene Grayson, Albert Victor
Baker, Joseph A. (Finsbury, E.) Crooks, William Greenwood, Hamar (York)
Balfour, Robert (Lanark) Crosfield, A. H. Guinness, Hon. W. E. (B'y St. Edm'ds)
Barnes, G. N. Cullinan, J. Gulland, John W.
Barry, Redmond J. (Tyrone, N.) Davies, Timothy (Fulham) Gwynn, Stephen Lucius
Beale, W. P. Dickinson, W. H. (St. Pancras, N.) Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose)
Beauchamp, E. Dickson-Poynder, Sir John P. Hardie, J. Keir (Merthyr Tydvil)
Berridge, T. H. D. Dobson, Thomas W. Hart-Davies, T.
Bright, J. A. Duckworth, Sir James Haslam, Lewis (Monmouth)
Brodie, H. C. Duffy, William J. Hemmerde, Edward George
Brooke, Stopford Dunn, A. Edward (Camborne) Henderson, Arthur (Durham)
Bryce, J. Annan Evans, Sir S. T. Hobhouse, Rt. Hon. Charles E. H.
Burns, Rt. Hon. John Everett, R. Lacey Hodge, John
Carr-Gomm, H. W. Farrell, James Patrick Hogan, Michael
Cherry, Rt. Hon. R. R. Ferguson, R. C. Munro Holden, Sir E. Hopkinson
Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston S. Ffrench, Peter Holland, Sir William Henry
Cleland, J. W. Flynn, James Christopher Holt, Richard Durning
Clough, William Fullerton, Hugh Hope, W. Bateman (Somerset, N.)
Collins, Stephen (Lambeth) Furness, Sir Christopher Hudson, Walter
Corbett, C. H. (Sussex, E. Grinstead) Gladstone, Rt. Hon. Herbert John Idris, T. H. W.
Cornwall, Sir Edwin A. Glendinning, R, G. Jackson, R. S.
Johnson, John (Gateshead) Nussey, Sir Willans Silcock, Thomas Ball
Jowett, F. W. O'Brien, K. (Tipperary, Mid) Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.)
Kekewich, Sir George O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) Soames, Arthur Wellesley
Laid law, Robert O'Donnell, John (Mayo, S.) Strachey, Sir Edward
Lamont, Norman Parker, James (Halifax) Taylor, John W. (Durham)
Lever, A. Levy (Essex, Harwich) Paul, Herbert Tennant, Sir Edward (Salisbury)
Lever, W. H. (Cheshire, Wirral) Pearson, W. H. M. (Suffolk, Eye) Tennant, H. J. (Berwickshire)
Lewis, John Herbert Philipps, Col. Ivor (Southampton) Thompson, J. W. H. (Somerset, E.)
Lundon, T. Philips, John (Longford, S.) Tomkinson, James
Luttrell, Hugh Fownes Pickersgill, Edward Hare Trevelyan, Charles Philips
Macdonald, J. R. (Leicester) Pollard, Dr. G. H. Tuke, Sir John Batty
Mackarness, Frederic C. Radford, G. H. Verney, F. W.
Macnamara, Dr. Thomas J. Rainy, A. Rolland Vivian, Henry
MacNeill, John Gordon Swift Reddy, M. Ward, John (Stoke-upon-Trent)
MacVeigh, Charles (Donegal, E.) Rees, J. D. Wardle, George J.
M'Laren, H. D. (Stafford, W.) Richards, T. F. (Wolverhampton, W.) Waring, Walter
M'Micking, Major G. Roberts, Charles H. (Lincoln) Warner, Thomas Courtenay T.
Marks, G. Croydon (Launceston) Robertson, Sir G. Scott (Bradford) Waterlow, D. S.
Massie, J. Robinson, S. White, J. Dundas (Dumbartonshire)
Masterman, C. F. G. Robson, Sir William Snowdon White, Sir Luke (York, E.R.)
Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) Roche, John (Galway, E.) White, Patrick (Meath, North)
Micklem, Nathaniel Rogers, F. E. Newman Wilson, Henry J. (York, W.R.)
Molteno, Percy Alport Rowlands, J. Wilson, P. W. (St. Pancras, S.)
Morgan, G. Hay (Cornwall) Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton)
Morrell, Philip Russell, Rt. Hon. T. W. Winfrey, R.
Morse, L. L. Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland) Wood, T M'Kinnon
Morton, Alpheus Cleophas Schwann, Sir C. E. (Manchester) Young, Samuel
Muldoon, John Scott, A. H. (Ashton-under-Lyne) Yoxall, Sir James Henry
Myer, Horatio Seely, Colonel
Nannetti, Joseph P. Sheehan, Daniel Daniel TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr.
Norman, Sir Henry Sheehy, David Joseph Pease and Captain Norton.
NOES.
Banbury, Sir Frederick George Forster, Henry William Scott, Sir S. (Marylebone, W.)
Barnard, E. B. Foster, P. S. Sheffield, Sir Berkeley George D.
Butcher, Samuel Henry Gibbs, G. A. (Bristol, West) Stanier, Beville
Carlile, E. Hildred Harrison-Broadley, H. B. Staveley-Hill, Henry (Staffordshire)
Cave, George Hunt, Rowland Talbot, Lord E. (Chichester)
Cecil, Lord R. (Marylebone, E.) Lane-Fox, G. R. Thomson, W. Mitchell-(Lanark)
Cochrane, Hon. Thomas H. A. E. Lockwood, Rt. Hon. Lt.-Col. A. R. Valentia, Viscount
Craig, Captain James (Down, E.) M'Arthur, Charles
Craik, Sir Henry Morpeth, Viscount
Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- Morrison-Bell, Captain TELLERS FOR THE NOES—Mr.
Fell, Arthur Nicholson, Wm. G. (Petersfield) Lambton and Mr. Rawlinson.
Fletcher, J. S. Pretyman, E. G.

Question put, "That Clauses 17 to 29, inclusive, stand part of the Bill."

The Committee divided: Ayes, 155; Noes, 31.

Division No. 554.] AYES. [8.28 p.m.
Abraham, W. (Cork, N.E.) Crooks, William Hardie, J. Keir (Merthvr Tydvil)
Acland, Francis Dyke Crosfield, A. H. Haslam, Lewis (Monmouth)
Adkins, W. Ryland D. Cullinan, J. Hemmerde, Edward George
Agar-Robartes, Hon. T. C. R. Davies, Timothy (Fulham) Henderson, Arthur (Durham)
Baker, Joseph A. (Finsbury, E.) Dickinson, W. H. (St. Pancras, N.) Hobhouse, Rt. Hon. Charles E. H.
Balfour, Robert (Lanark) Dickson-Poynder, Sir John P. Hodge, John
Barnard, E. B. Dobson, Thomas W. Hogan, Michael
Barnes, G. N. Duckworth, Sir James Holden, Sir E. Hopkinson
Barry, Redmond J. (Tyrone, N.) Duffy, William J. Holland, Sir William Henry
Beale, W. P. Dunn, A. Edward (Camborne) Hope, W. Bateman (Somerset, N.)
Beauchamp, E. Evans, Sir S. T. Hudson, Walter
Berridge, T. H. D. Everett, R. Lacey Idris, T. H. W.
Bright, J. A. Farrell, James Patrick Jackson, R. S.
Brodie, H. C. Ferguson, R. C. Munro Jenkins, J.
Brooke, Stopford Ffrench, Peter Johnson, John (Gateshead)
Bryce, J. Annan Flynn, James Christopher Joyce, Michael
Burns, Rt. Hon. John Fullerton, Hugh Kekewich, Sir George
Carr-Gomm, H. W. Furness, Sir Christopher Kilbride, Denis
Cherry, Rt. Hon. R. R. Gladstone, Rt. Hon. Herbert John Laidlaw, Robert
Cleland, J. W. Glendinning, R. G. Lamont, Norman
Clough, William Glover, Thomas Lever, A. Levy (Essex, Harwich)
Collins, Stephen (Lambeth) Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford Lever, W. H. (Cheshire, Wirral)
Corbett, C. H. (Sussex, E. Grinstead) Grayson, Albert Victor Lewis, John Herbert
Cornwall, Sir Edwin A. Greenwood, Hamar (York) Luttrell, Hugh Fownes
Cotton, Sir H. J. S. Gulland, John W. Macdonald, J. R. (Leicester)
Cox, Harold Gwynn, Stephen Lucius Mackarness, Frederic C.
Crean, Eugene Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) Macnamara, Dr. Thomas J.
MacNeill, John Gordon Swift Philips, John (Longford, S.) Strachey, Sir Edward
MacVeigh, Charles (Donegal, E.) Pickers gill, Edward Hare Taylor, John W. (Durham)
M'Laren, H. D. (Stafford, W.) Pollard, Dr. G. H. Tennant, Sir Edward (Salisbury)
M'Micking, Major G. Power, Patrick Joseph Tennant, H. J. (Berwickshire)
Marks, G. Croydon (Launceston) Radford, G. H. Thompson, J. W. H. (Somerset, E.)
Massie, J. Rainy, A. Rolland Tomkinson, James
Masterman, C. F. G. Reddy, M. Trevelyan, Charles Philips
Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) Rees J. D. Tuke, Sir John Batty
Micklem, Nathaniel Richards, T. F. (Wolverhampton, W.) Verney, F. W.
Molteno, Percy Alport Roberts, Charles H. (Lincoln) Vivian, Henry
Morgan, G. Hay (Cornwall) Robertson, Sir G. Scott (Bradford) Ward, John (Stoke-upon-Trent)
Morrell, Philip Robinson, S. Waring, Walter
Morse, L. L. Robson, Sir William Snowdon Warner, Thomas Courtenay T.
Morton, Alpheus Cleophas Roche, John (Galway, E.) Waterlow, D. S.
Muldoon, John Rogers, F. E. Newman White, J. Dundas (Dumbartonshire)
Myer, Horatio Rowlands, J. White, Sir Luke (York, E.R.)
Nannetti, Joseph P. Russell, Rt. Hon. T. W. Wilson, Henry J. (York, W.R.)
Norman, Sir Henry Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland) Wilson, P. W. (St. Pancras, S.)
Nussey, Sir Willans Schwann, Sir C. E. (Manchester) Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton)
O'Brien, K. (Tipperary, Mid) Scott, A. H. (Ashton-under-Lyne) Winfrey, R.
O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) Seely, Colonel Wood, T. M'Kinnon
O'Donnell, John (Mayo, S.) Sheehan, Daniel Daniel Young, Samuel
Parker, James (Halifax) Sheehy, David Yoxall, Sir James Henry
Paul, Herbert Silcock, Thomas Ball
Pearson, W. H. M. (Suffolk, Eye) Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.) TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr.
Philipps, Col. Ivor (Southampton) Soames, Arthur Wellesley Joseph Pease and Captain Norton.
NOES.
Banbury, Sir Frederick George Guinness, Hon. W. E. (B. S. Edm'ds) Rawlinson, John Frederick Peel
Butcher, Samuel Henry Harrison-Broadley, H. B. Scott, Sir S. (Marylebone, W.)
Carlile, E. Hildred Hunt, Rowland Sheffield. Sir Berkeley George D.
Cave, George Lane-Fox, G. R. Staveley-Hill, Henry (Staffordshire)
Cochrane, Hon. Thomas H. A. E. Lockwood, Rt. Hon. Lt.-Col. A. R. Talbot, Lord E. (Chichester)
Craig, Captain James (Down, E.) Lyttelton, Rt. Hon. Alfred Thomson. W. Mitchell-(Lanark)
Craik, Sir Henry M'Arthur, Charles Valentia, Viscount
Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- Morpeth, Viscount
Fell, Arthur Morrison-Bell, Captain
Forster, Henry William Nicholson. Wm G. (Petersfield) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr.
Foster, P. S. Powell, Sir Francis Sharp J. S. Fletcher and Mr. Stanier.
Gibbs, G. A. (Bristol, West) Pretyman, E. G.

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