HC Deb 23 June 1931 vol 254 cc213-6
28. Mr. McGOVERN

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of tenants who were originally removed from slum areas and rehoused by the Glasgow Corporation from 1st May, 1920, to 1st May, 1931; and how many have had to leave, or been evicted, due to inability to pay their rent?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. Westwood)

The number of tenants removed from slum areas and rehoused by the Glasgow Corporation from 1st May, 1920, to 1st May, 1931, is 5,872, and the number of tenants who have had to leave or have been evicted after the institution of court proceedings for non-payment of rent is 323.

Mr. McGOVERN

In view of the fact that a number of these people are unemployed and cannot afford to pay the rent, can the Minister make any suggestion as to why they are not given a proper amount to enable them to pay the rent?

Mr. WESTWOOD

Any questions of the amount being granted to tenants to pay their rent will, if they come within the control of the Public Assistance Committee of Glasgow, be a matter for the Public Assistance Committee.

Mr. KIRKWOOD

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland stated that 323 tenants had been evicted because they were not able to pay the rent, and I would like to know how many tenants have left houses because they were unable to pay the rent without having been evicted?

Mr. WESTWOOD

I cannot say without notice. I have not received notice of that particular question. If I had, I would have tried to obtain the information.

30. Major ELLIOT

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers of new State-assisted houses under construction in all schemes in the months of January, February, March, April, May, and June, respectively, for the years 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1931?

Mr. WESTWOOD

As the answer involves a tabular statement, I propose, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

Housing—Scotland.
Number of new State-assisted Houses under construction in all schemes at the end of certain months.
Year. January. February. March. April. May. June.
1927 … 20,807 20,503 20,278 20,162 12,359 19,343
1928 … 18,019 18,162 18,044 18,405 18,380 18,079
1929 … 15,386 15,001 14,997 14,826 14,719 14,423
1930 … 10,059 10,151 10,539 10,720 10,580 10,835
1931 … 8,703 8,791 9,360 10,146 10,508 not available.
36. Miss LEE

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of condemned houses in Scotland which are at present occupied; and what percentage of these will be replaced by slum-clearance houses within six months, a year, two years, and three years, respectively?

Mr. WESTWOOD

Complete figures of the number of unfit houses in Scotland are not yet available as a number of local authorities have not yet submitted the statement required by Subsection (2) of Section 22 of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930. According to the statements that have been submitted by 180 local authorities, the number of houses estimated to be required to replace unfit houses is 37,846, and the number of houses likely to be provided by these local authorities within three years to replace unfit houses is 24,321. I am unable to state what percentage of the unfit houses will be replaced by these new houses within the periods mentioned in the question; this will depend upon the rate of progress made by the local authorities during these periods in carrying out their three years' programme.

Miss LEE

Do I understand that even after three years there will be a large number of the families at present living in condemned houses still living in those condemned houses, or, at least, for whom no alternative provision will have been made?

Mr. WESTWOOD

I hope that such will not be the case. All that I have done is to give the answer to the question put here as to the programme of these authorities, but we are doing everything possible to stimulate the activities of these authorities with a view to providing, in place of every insanitary house, a decent dwelling in which the people can live.

Miss LEE

If, when all the returns from the local authorities are in, the Government discover that they are still making inadequate provision, will any supplementary national effort be made in order to get decent houses for these people?

37. Miss LEE

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of men, women and children in Scotland who are at present living in condemned houses?

Mr. WESTWOOD

I regret that I am unable to supply the information asked for by my hon. Friend as the statements submitted by local authorities in terms of Sub-section (2) of Section 22 of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, do not give such particulars. Information as to the number of persons occupying houses to be demolished or closed is furnished to the Department of Health for Scotland only when local authorities are about to proceed to deal with the particular houses scheduled for demolition or closure.

Mr. BROCKWAY

Is the Scottish Office prepared to urge upon the Government the introduction of a national housing scheme to deal with this problem?

Mr. WESTWOOD

That matter does not arise out of this particular question.