§ 40. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Department of Health has yet held a public inquiry into the housing conditions in the village of Standburn, Stirlingshire, in 1482 view of the fact that the Stirlingshire county council has taken no steps to improve the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the village?
§ Mr. SKELTONA public local inquiry into the housing conditions in Standburn is about to be held, and the Department of Health are now making the necessary arrangements.
Viscountess ASTORIf the hon. Gentleman finds very bad houses owned by people who refuse to put them in good order, would it not be a good thing, from the public point of view, to have them named?
§ Mr. SKELTONI do not think that question arises out of the question before me.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODThey belong to Sir Adam Nimmo, the Scottish coalowner.
§ 41. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the representations received from municipal tenants in favour of a reduction in the rents of municipal houses, he will consider the advisability of consolidating the Housing Acts relating to Scotland, with a view to a re-organisation of housing loans and the fixing of uniform rents for uniform types of houses throughout Scotland?
§ Mr. SKELTONHaving regard to the wide variety of circumstances affecting the rents charged in different localities, my right hon. Friend considers that it would not be practicable to fix uniform rents for uniform types of houses throughout Scotland, and he does not propose to amend the Housing Acts with such an object in view.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWill the hon. Gentleman tell the House how it is not possible for the Scottish Office to fix uniform rents for uniform houses?
§ Mr. SKELTONWithout my going very fully into the question, my hon. Friend will realise that the rents fixed for slum clearance houses under the 1930 Act are very much lower on account of the size of the subsidy.
§ Miss HORSBRUGHIs it not the case that the local authorities also have power to fix rents, as well as my hon. Friend?
§ Mr. SKELTONThat is so, but I do not propose to enter into a general debate on housing laws.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs it not the case that they do so in conformity with the Scottish Office?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe local authorities have the power of fixing rents, but the question before me is that of uniform rents, and to that question I shall confine myself. If other questions on the housing law are to be asked, they must be put down.