§ 60. Mr. STEPHENasked the Minister of Health the number of houses in Scotland which have been condemned by a 1202 medical officer of health as unfit for human habitation, but which were occupied on 31st March, and the number of such in Glasgow?
§ Captain ELLIOTI am not in a position without calling for special returns from all local authorities to give complete and accurate figures, but according to the details furnished by the local authorities when submitting schemes in terms of Section 1 of the Housing, Town Planning, etc. (Scotland) Act, 1919, the new houses which the local authorities in Scotland considered necessary to meet the needs of their districts included 22,296 houses to replace houses then occupied which should be closed and demolished, and 13,932 houses to re-house persons who would be dispossessed by improvement and reconstruction schemes under Parts I and II of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. I may add that from returns received by the Scottish Board of Health from local authorities in Scotland of proceedings under the Housing Acts during the year 1922 it would appear that 7,280 houses were during that year reported as unfit for habitation. In 970 of these the defects were remedied, while Closing Orders were made in the case of 60 houses, the defects in 27 of which were subsequently remedied. In Glasgow I understand that the medical officer of health has reported that 13,195 houses at present occupied are not reasonably fit for habitation.
§ Mr. SULLIVANArc all public authorities in Scotland included in that?
§ Captain ELLIOTNo. That is why I am unable to give the exact figures as requested by the hon. Member.