§ 34. Mr. MYERSasked the Minister of Health if he will grant the Return, Housing of the Working Classes, standing in the name of the hon. Member for the Spen Valley Division of Yorkshire? [Return showing, for each of the urban and rural district councils in England and Wales, the estimated number of houses for the working classes within the meaning of The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919,in their district; how many of these houses have, during the three years ended on the 15th day of April, 1922,been inspected by the conned with a view to ascertaining what closing orders should be issued or what notices should be served under Section 15of The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909,or Section 28of The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919;the number of closing orders issued during that period by the council; the number of such notices served during that period by the council; how many of those closing orders have been determined on completion of the necessary repairs; how many of such undetermined closing orders have been enforced; in how mazy cases the requirements of the notices so served have been duly complied with; in, how many cases where those requirements have not been duly complied with the local authority have themselves executed the repairs necessary to render the premises in all respects reasonably fit for human, habitation; in how many cases the failure to enforce a notice served under Section 28of The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919,has been due to the proviso to Sub-section (1)of that Section; in how many cases any representation, or report of the medical offierc of health of the district that a house is unfit or not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation has not been acted upon, by the council either by the issue of a closing order or by the service of a notice under Section 15of The Housing, Town, Planning, etc., Act, 1909,or Section 28of The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919;and the number of houses re-occupied in respect of which closing orders had been made operative.]
§ Sir A. MONDThe information asked for could only be obtained at the cost of much labour and expense which I do not feel justified in incurring or asking local authorities to incur at the present time. A summary has, however, been prepared from the reports of medical officers of health for 1920, covering substantially the points on which the hon. Member asks for information and I shall be glad to send him a copy of this. The reports of medical officers for 1921 on these matters are being summarised as they are received, but up to the present comparatively few have been furnished. I shall be happy to supply the hon. Member with the information for this year also when it becomes available.