§ 20. Mr. CECIL WILSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the reports of the Government of Bombay Labour Office, in which it is stated that 97 per cent. of the working-class families live in single rooms; that in 1921 the infant mortality for families occupying one room was 828.5 per thousand, whilst for those occupying four rooms it was 133.3 per thousand; that the consumption on cereals is just equal to the maximum allowed by the Famine Code, but less than that prescribed in the Bombay Gaol Manual; whether he can state what is being done to in any way mitigate these conditions; and whether he has reason to believe that the conditions in Bombay are better or worse than in other cities in the Indian Empire?
§ Earl WINTERTONI have seen the reports referred to. As regards the last two parts of the hon. Member's question, I gave the House some information on the subject of the Bombay housing scheme in the Debate on the India Office Vote on 14th June (Cols. 780 and 781 of the OFFICIAL REPORT). It may be added that the Government of India have instituted investigations designed to secure accurate figures of comparative consumption which, when complete, should throw valuable light on the conditions of life in various industrial centres. According to the reports of the Bombay Labour Office, the increase over July, 1914, in the cost of living in Bombay has fallen from 73 per cent. in May, 1920, and 67 per cent. in May, 1921, to 53 per cent. in May, 1923.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALADoes not the Noble Lord find that the scheme now undertaken by the Government of Bombay to erect one-and-a-half room tenements is going to aggravate the infantile death rate rather than minimise it?
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, I find exactly the contrary. I have myself inspected some of these new buildings, and I should say the improvement in the case of the new houses under the Government scheme was something it is necessary to see to believe.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAIs the Noble Lord aware that a so-called new house for a working-class family is not to be larger than one room of 12 feet by 10 feet?
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, I am not aware of that. It is true there are a number of one-room tenements, which are suitable for people who at present live not even in one room but in half a room and cannot afford larger accommodation, but the whole of this scheme is not confined to tenements of that kind.