§ 82. Mr. RYEasked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to promote such legislation as may be necessary to amend Section 46 of The Housing (Consolidation) Act, 1925, so as to provide for payment of fair and reasonable compensation to the owners of property acquired under an improvement scheme made in pursuance of such Act?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe question of legislation to amend in some respects the section of the Act of 1925 referred to has been receiving my attention, but I am unable to make any statement in regard to the matter at the present moment.
§ Sir HARRY FOSTERPending the question of amending legislation, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the propriety of giving instructions that in respect of any inquiry which has to be held under the scheme, notice shall be specifically 1226 given to the owners that their properties are scheduled as insanitary and that they will remain as insanitary unless they appear at the public inquiry and show proof to the contrary?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not think I can promise to do that. It would mean a very great addition to the expense of these inquiries. I think the present provision which causes public notice to be given of the inquiry, and which gives every opportunity for those who are interested to appear and make representations at the inquiry, ought to be sufficient. I am aware that as this procedure is comparatively new there have been cases where persons interested have not taken advantage of their opportunity and have afterwards complained that they did not know anything about it. I cannot help thinking that as the procedure gets better known these cases will be very few.