§ 69. Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the necessity of obtaining an accurate estimate of the number of houses required, he can see his way to obtain statistics of the number of condemned houses which are still inhabited, and of the number of persons occupying these houses, including children, particularly in view of the fact that without these statistics asked for no accurate estimate of the housing shortage can be made?
§ Sir K. WOODinformation is already furnished to my right hon. Friend in the annual reports of medical officers of health as to the numbers of houses found, after inspection, to be unfit for human habitation. According to the last reports, the number of such houses reported during the year 1923 was 14,367. My right hon. Friend does not consider that the value of the further information asked for in the hon. Member's question would be commensurate with the labour and cost involved in obtaining it.
Mr. T. THOMSONCan the hon. Gentleman give us the total number of working-class houses included in the 14,000 to which he has referred?
§ Sir K. WOODI am afraid I must ash for notice of that question.