§ 22. Mr. CHORLTONasked the Minister of Health if he will take any steps to ensure that the percentage of re-housing is not less than 70 per cent. in areas where it would impose hardship on the present inhabitants to move them to housing sites which are, as far as their means go, relatively distant?
Sir H. YOUNGThe avoidance of hardship of the kind suggested is certainly a principal object both of the local authorities in submitting their re-housing proposals and of myself in considering those proposals. Local circumstances vary so materially that it would not be practicable to lay down any hard and fast rule in the matter.
§ Mr. CHORLTONIf the local circumstances do not allow of sufficient re- 2087 housing, will my right hon. Friend take steps to provide some form of compensation?
§ 25. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Health what has been the result to date of the inquiries which he caused to be instituted into the adequacy of the slum clearance scheme at 11 towns?
Sir H. YOUNGThe result has been, as regards eight of the towns, to furnish information necessary for the discharge of my responsibilities in respect of slum clearance under the Act of 1930, and I have communicated to the authorities concerned my conclusions on the reports made to me. The report on the inquiry at Bootle is still receiving my consideration; I am awaiting the inspector's report on the inquiry at Leicester, and I am making certain further inquiries of the corporation of Croydon.
§ Mr. SOMERVILLEAre those responses satisfactory?
Sir H. YOUNGIt is impossible to give a precise answer to that question. The effect is contained in my replies to the bodies in question.
§ Sir P. HARRISWhat does the right hon. Gentleman propose to do if any of these local authorities persist in not doing their duty? Does he propose to supersede them and do the work himself, through his Department, or what method is he proposing to adopt?
Sir H. YOUNGThe duties imposed upon the Minister of Health in case of any authority not carrying out its responsibilities under the Act of 1930 are actually specified in that Act.
§ 34. Major NATHANasked the Minister of Health what is the estimated number of persons to be displaced and rehoused during the period 1934 to 1938 under the provisions of the Housing Act, 1930, by the operations of the London County Council, the Metropolitan Borough Councils, and the local authorities in the Metropolitan Police district outside the administrative county area, respectively?
Sir H. YOUNGIt is estimated that about 150,000 persons living in the 2088 County of London will be displaced and rehoused during the period mentioned by the combined operations of the London County Council and the Metropolitan Borough Councils. The operations of the borough councils will be closely co-ordinated with those of the County Council, and will represent about 10 per cent. of the total. The number of persons to be displaced and rehoused by local authorities wholly or partly in the Metropolitan Police District but outside the administrative county area is estimated as about 19,000.
§ 40. Mrs. TATEasked the Minister of Health whether he has yet come to any conclusion as a result of his recent inquiry into the slum-clearance scheme submitted by the borough of Willesden; and, if so, whether he has as yet communicated his conclusions to the Willesden Borough Council?
§ Mrs. TATEInasmuch as the inquiry was public, will the conclusions that the right hon. Gentleman draws from it also be made public in their entirety?
Sir H. YOUNGThe conclusions that I drew from the inquiry are contained in a letter written to the local authority. If the hon. Member wishes to see a copy of that letter, I can supply her with one.