§ 55. Mr. BARNESasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that from 170 to 200 eviction petitions are dealt with every day in the Glasgow Sheriff Court, and that many of these have reference to soldiers' families who are being rendered homeless through inability to pay enhanced house rents; and if he proposes to take any action in the matter?
The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. McKinnon Wood)I have made inquiry and find my hon. Friend is mistaken in the figures he has given as cases being dealt with in the Glasgow Sheriff Court every day. In stead of 170 to 200 petitions per day, the average for the past three months has been less than one-tenth of this figure. Taking together the cases in the Sheriff Court and the Burgh Court during that period the number of petitions is 742 less than for the corresponding period of last year. I am inquiring in how many cases the petitions have been granted and in how many cases a stay of execution of the ejectment order has been allowed under the provisions of the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act which was passed in August, 1914. I am also inquiring if it is possible to find out how many of the petitions affect the families of soldiers and sailors.
§ 56. Mr. BARNESasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has made any inquiry into the complaints that house rents in Scotland are being unjustifiably increased; and whether he proposes to take any action to protect poor tenants from imposition at the present time?
Mr. McKINNON WOODWith the exception of two or three individual cases the complaints have come from Glasgow. I have been in communication with the Glasgow Town Council with reference to the resolution on this subject which that body submitted to me recently, in order to ascertain upon what evidence or investigation the resolution was based, and have been informed that the council made no investigation into the facts, but had before them resolutions from various bodies. They do not give me any information as to whether the increases were justifiable or not. I have also received information from other quarters representing landlords and tenants, but I am not able to say that a case has been made out for fresh legislative action.