§ 62. Mr. LEONARDasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the communication from the Scottish Farm Servants' Union to the Department of Health for Scotland, on the 21st March, 1933, with regard to the failure of the county council of Ross and Cromarty to take notice of complaints lodged by the union, under the Housing and Public Health Acts, until their attention was called to the complaints by the Department of Health, after which a decision was issued that it is impracticable to introduce water or provide water closets; in view of the failure of the county council of Ross and Cromarty to exercise its statutory powers and of the repeated requests to the Department to take action, under Section 37 of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, will he cause a reply to be sent to that request; and will he state what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The communication referred to dealt with five groups of cottages; and replies have already been sent dealing with the different complaints involved and stating the action taken. I may add that Section 37 of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, is not applicable except in cases of general failure to deal with housing conditions, and in any case does not apply to complaints concerning a 147 water supply. Action has been, or is being, taken by the county council, except in respect of the introduction of water and the provision of water closets in two of the groups of cottages, three and four in number respectively. With respect to the introduction of water into these two groups, the county council are of opinion that this is not reasonably practicable on grounds of expense. My technical advisers do not agree with this view. There has been some doubt as to whether the decision of the local authority that the introduction of water into a house is not reasonably practicable is final, or whether the Department of Health can raise the matter in the Sheriff Court under Section 146 of the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897. My right hon. Friend is considering the question of raising a test case to have this question decided.
§ Mr. LEONARDIn view of the time that has elapsed since this matter was raised, will the hon. Gentleman see fit to expedite it, especially in view of the fact that his own inspectors on two occasions have reported that the complaints could have been stronger than they actually were?
§ Sir IAN MACPHERSONWill the hon. Gentleman approach the county council again to see whether they will arrange this matter amicably?
§ Mr. SKELTONYes, Sir, I will consider that.
§ 61. Mr. NEIL MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of slum houses to be cleared in Scotland under the five-years' programme and the number of new houses to be built in replacement; and whether he will consider the publication of the particulars for each local authority?
§ Mr. SKELTONInformation as to the total number of unfit houses to be cleared is not available, but according to the programmes for the five years 1934–1938 submitted by 208 out of 228 housing authorities in Scotland it is estimated that 59,774 houses are required to replace unfit houses and that 42,948 new houses or 72 per cent. of the estimated requirements will be erected for this purpose. Neither of these figures is final, as the Department of Health for Scotland are in communication with certain local authorities 148 as to the adequacy of their estimated needs and of their proposed rehousing programmes. As a result of these communications revised programmes are still being received. With regard to the latter part of the question, publication of the numbers for each authority will be considered as soon as the necessary information is available.
§ Mr. MACLEANMay I ask whether the Department are taking any action in the case of those authorities which have not complied with the request?
§ Mr. SKELTONYes, Sir, action has been taken, and as a result the great majority of the authorities have now sent in their schemes.