§ 17. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Health the number of slum clearance and re-housing schemes approved under the Housing and Slum Clearance Act, 1930, up to the most recent date at which such information is available; the number of houses and 1227 tenements, respectively, completed, together with the number of persons removed from houses condemned; and the number of persons for whom new houses or tenements have been provided under the 1930 Act up to the same date?
Sir H. YOUNGUp to the 30th November last, I had received resolutions declaring 580 areas in England and Wales to be clearance areas. 6,451 dwellings had then been completed. I am not able to say how many of these dwellings were houses, flats or tenements respectively. Up to the 30th September last, 23,829 persons had been removed from houses demolished or closed. The houses completed provide, according to the standard laid down by Section 37 of the Act, accommodation for 30,928 persons.
§ Sir FRANCIS FREMANTLEDo the 580 cases to which the Minister has referred include those which have been completed, those which are now in process of taking effect, and those which are prospective; or do they include only those which have been completed?
Sir H. YOUNGI think I must ask my hon. Friend to put down a, question on that matter, as I should like to give him the exact particulars. My impression is that the figure includes them all.
§ Mr. THORNEDo I understand that the Minister is aware that all these houses in slum clearance areas are unfit for human accommodation; and will he give every encouragement to the local authorities to apply this slum clearance policy?
Sir H. YOUNGUndoubtedly, when an area is declared to be a clearance area, it means that the houses are unfit for human habitation, and every possible encouragement will be given to local authorities to pursue an active policy of clearance in such cases.
§ Sir F. FREMANTLEIs it the case that the 580 schemes will not include improvement schemes but only slum clearance schemes?
§ 31. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of slum clearance and re-housing schemes approved under the Housing and Slum Clearance Act, 1930, up to the most recent date at which such information 1228 is available; the number of houses and tenements, respectively, completed, together with the number of persons removed from houses condemned; and the number of persons for whom new houses or tenements have been provided under the 1930 Act up to the same date?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. Skelton)Up to the 20th December proposals have been approved by the Department of Health for Scotland for the provision of 13,765 houses with assistance under the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930. At 30th November, the latest date for which information is available, 3,950 houses, including 604 in tenements, had been completed and 6,983 houses including 2,698 in tenements were under construction. At 30th September 24,329 persons had, in consequence of action taken under the Act, been removed from condemned houses. As regards the last part of the question, I regret that I have no information as to the number of persons accommodated in the new houses built to replace those condemned.
§ Mr. BUCHANANCan the hon. Gentleman say the reason for the serious difference between the number approved and the number actually built or under construction, as there seems to be a rather serious difference?
§ Mr. SKELTONI think I may safely say that the reason is that the Act is a comparatively recent one, and that most of the schemes are still in the early stages. The Act was only passed in 1930, and it has taken some time for local authorities to make use of it.
§ Mr. BUCHANANCannot the hon. Gentleman, between now and the resumption of the House, see if there is not any further way of speeding up this matter, the delay of which is due to the long-drawn-out inquiries which have to be held. Can he not take some steps to see that the whole procedure is speeded up?
§ Mr. SKELTONI think that that is a question with which I shall have an opportunity of dealing soon after the House rises.
§ Sir S. CRIPPSCan the hon. Gentleman tell us whether the limitation which was announced by the Minister of Health 1229 upon the number of slum clearance schemes which were to go forward from the financial point of view applies to Scotland as well, or only to England?
§ Mr. SKELTONI cannot speak for my right hon. Friend, but I should not accept the word "limitation."
§ Sir S. CRIPPSDo the figures given of the extra £75,000 cover Scotland as well as England?
§ Mr. SKELTONOh no, Sir, those figures are purely English.