§ Mr. CASSELasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that the reports of the inspectors appointed by the Board to hold local inquiries in regard to appeals against closing and demolition orders are treated by the Board as confidential and not open to the inspection of the appellant, and in view of the fact that at present there is no appeal from the decisions of the Board to any court of law, he will be prepared to support or initiate legislation allowing an appeal to the High Court of Justice?
§ Mr. BURNSI am not prepared to support or initiate legislation of the character referred to. So far as any question of law may arise in the course of an appeal to the Board under the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, provision is made by the Act under which the question may be required to be stated for the opinion of the High Court.
§ Mr. CASSELasked the President of the Local Government Board whether the Board, before revising or setting aside the report of an inspector appointed to hold a local inquiry in regard to appeals against closing or demolition orders, makes any independent inspection of the premises?
§ Mr. BURNSAs I stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member on the 27th March, the appeal is made to the Board, and the Board decide it after carefully considering the whole of the facts before them, and the hon. Member may assume with perfect safety that the Board will take any necessary steps to secure a knowledge of the facts.
§ Mr. CASSELasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state under what statutory or other authority the inspectors who hold local inquiries in regard to appeals against closing and demolition orders are appointed; whether 868 their appointments are permanent or temporary; whether such appointments-cover other duties; whether they are paid by salary or by fees; whether any list is published giving the names of such inspectors; and, if not, what, if any, means exist of ascertaining their names and qualifications?
§ Mr. BURNSThe inspectors were appointed under the Local Government Board Act, 1871, which governs generally the appointments to the staff of the Board; their appointments are permanent; they were appointed by way of addition to the staff of inspectors, and their employment in that capacity is not limited to cases of appeals under the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909; they are paid by salary; the names of the inspectors added to the staff in consequence of the passing of that Act were given by me in reply to a question put by the hon. Member for East Marylebone on 19th April, 1910.