§ 57. Mr. E. BROWNasked the Minister of Health the approximate number of houses not reasonably fit for human habitation at present in occupation in the county of Warwick, based on the latest returns in the possession of the Ministry?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs the answer to this question is a long one, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:
According to the survey of housing conditions obtained in 1919, there were, in the administrative County of Warwick, 4,009 houses seriously defective or not fit for occupation. It was estimated that, of these, 2,972 could be made habitable. Information is not available as to the number of such houses in occupation. From the Annual Reports of the Medical Officers of Health for 1922 it appears that, as the result of inspections during the year, 2,370 houses were reported as defective, and notices were served in 1,242 cases. During the year also defects in 2,520 houses were remedied by informal action of the local authority, and repairs were carried out in 1,352 cases after issue of statutory notices. Some of these cases, of course, would have been the subject of notice in the previous year.
§ 58. Mr. E. BROWNasked the Minister of Health how many authorities in the County of Warwick made returns to the Ministry of Health as to the minimum 515 number of houses required to meet the housing needs of their areas in 1920, and how many houses have been erected during the three years since the returns were made?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs the answer to this question also is a long one, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:
All the local authorities (23) in the administrative County of Warwick made the survey returns required by Section 1 of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919.
Since the date of the survey 2,758 houses have been erected with State assistance, and a further 289 are under construction. Information is not available as to the total number of houses built by private enterprise during the same period without State aid, but from returns which were called for by me last year it appears that 204 houses were erected by private enterprise without State aid during the period 30th September, 1922, to 1st March, 1923. The return for this period, however, did not include houses built in rural districts. During the six months ending 30th September last a further 586 houses were provided by private enterprise in the whole administrative county.