§ 25. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schemes of housing in Glasgow which are approved by the Scottish Office cannot be started owing to a shortage of bricklayers; the number of bricklayers who have left working on housing schemes for commercial work; whether better terms of employment were offered; and, if so, what is the nature of such offer?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe corporation inform me that in no case is the commencement of an approved housing scheme being held up because of the shortage of bricklayers, though the corporation estimate that 228 additional bricklayers could be employed on the schemes in hand to maintain satisfactory progress. I regret that the information desired in the last three parts of the question is not available.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIn view of the controversy which has arisen as a result of this decision, could the right hon. Gentleman not take steps to find out how many of these bricklayers are alleged to have been dragged away from their work?
§ Mr. ELLIOT:I am afraid I have no powers to do that.
§ Mr. HICKSI it not within the knowledge of the right hon. Gentleman that bricklayers have been discharged from housing schemes in Glasgow because there have been no bricks, and that in other cases where bricklayers have applied for jobs on housing schemes in Glasgow they have not been able to be employed because of a shortage of brcks?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI have no information as to the supplies of material, but if the hon. Member has any information on that point I should be glad to look into it.
§ Mr. BELLENGERCould the right hon. Gentleman not induce his officers to bring about an amicable settlement between the Glasgow Corporation and the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan)?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that there would be a settlement if decent houses were provided for the people in Gorbals?
§ 26. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of houses built in Glasgow in 1929; the number in all Scotland; the numbers built in 1935 in Glasgow and in Scotland and the figures for this year, 1936; whether the figures show a decrease for Glasgow and an increase for Scotland as between 1929 and 1936; and, if so, whether he has made inquiry into the reason for the decrease in Glasgow and with what result?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe numbers of houses built by the corporation of Glasgow and by all the local authorities in Scotland in 1929 were 6,388 and 14,316, respectively. The corresponding numbers for 1935 were 3,878 and 18,812 and for 1936 to 31st October 1,591 and 13,136. For the first ten months of 1936 as compared with the same period in 1929 there was a decrease in the number of houses built by the corporation but an increase in the number built by local authorities as a whole. I have written to the corporation indicating that I would be very grateful if they would let me have as soon as possible a statement of their view of the present housing position in Glasgow and understand I may expect a reply at an early date.
§ Mr. MATHERSIn considering this matter, and in order to ascertain the conditions which prevail, will the right hon. Gentleman, for purposes of comparison, ask for similar information from the Edinburgh Corporation
§ Mr. ELLIOTIf the hon. Member puts that question down I shall certainly try to give him the information.
§ Mr. G. HARDIEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Glasgow Corporation built 650 more houses in 1935 1817 under Labour than did the Moderates in 1930?
§ 33. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the complaints from various local authorities in Scotland that housing schemes are being held up because of the shortage of skilled labour due to the transfer of men from building to employment on armament contracts, what action the Government propose to take to ensure that local authorities will be guaranteed an adequate supply of labour and materials to enable them to expedite their housing problem; and will he give housing schemes first preference for building labour and materials, since otherwise local authorities cannot compete for labour and materials against the higher prices offered by armament contractors?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI have received representations as to the shortage of building labour, but not as to a scarcity of material. While the provision of an adequate supply of labour for housing work is of the first importance, the hon. Member knows that it is not in my power to direct that labour shall undertake one particular type of work in preference to another. Any action to direct the allocation of building labour would, of course, require very careful investigation with organisations of employers and employés.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the first Secretary of State for Scotland under the National Government, the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir A. Sinclair), stopped us in Clydebank from building houses; that we asked at that time for permission to build 700 houses and that the Department cut that figure down and that if they had not done so then we would not have been "up against it" now?
§ 37. Mr. STEPHENasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the houses built last year by the Glasgow Corporation have been let at an inclusive rental of 10s. a week or under, and the corresponding figures for this year?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe corporation inform me that the numbers are 3,173 for 1935 and 1,627 for 1936.
§ 38. Mr. STEPHENasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inhabited houses are now unfit for human 1818 habitation in the Wile End and White-vale wards of the city of Glasgow, respectively; how many of such houses have been reported as infested with rats and bugs; and whether the corporation take any steps to assist tenants of such houses in such circumstances?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe number of houses which the corporation have on their list for action under the Housing (Scotland) Acts as unfit for human habitation is, in the Mile End ward, 396; and in the Whitevale ward, 178. A considerable number of these houses are infested with vermin, but definite figures cannot be given. I am informed that where immediate closure of infested houses is impossible, owing to lack of alternative accommodation, the corporation supply an insecticide on request.
§ 39. Mr. STEPHENasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many families in each of the wards Dennistoun, White-vale, and Mile End of the Camlachie Parliamentary Division of Glasgow had their names submitted last year to the manager of the city improvements department of the Glasgow Corporation for rehousing; the number to whom houses were allotted; and the corresponding figures for the present year?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am informed that the available figures relate to the Camlachie division as a whole. In 1935 the medical officer of health recommended the rehousing of 516 families in the division, and houses were allotted to 197 families. The corresponding figures for 1936 up to date are 251 and 63 respectively.
§ Mr. STEPHENCan the right hon. Gentleman say what has happened to those people who have been reported for houses and have been unable to get them?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am afraid that in most cases they are still inhabiting the unsatisfactory houses.
§ Mr. HICKSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that a good deal of this indecision is due to the uncertainty of the period when the subsidy will apply to houses in Scotland, and that an extraordinary demand is being made because of the uncertainty about the subsidy continuing in 1937?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI have asked the corporation for their opinion on the matter, and I shall consider all these questions when I have received it.
§ 41. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of buildings now being erected in Glasgow for commercial and industrial purposes; and the number of bricklayers and other tradesmen employed in such work?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI regret that the information asked for by the hon. Member is not available.
§ Mr. MACLEANWill the right hon. Gentleman make efforts to get information?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI am afraid that it will be a difficult matter. If the hon. Member has any suggestions to make for collecting the information, I shall be glad to receive them.
§ 42. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the convener of the housing committee of the Glasgow Corporation that large numbers of bricklayers and other tradesmen have been taken away from the building of houses to the iron and steel industry, where they receive a guaranteed weekly wage; and whether he can give any information as to the numbers of building trade workers who have been transferred to this industry from Glasgow during the present year?
§ Mr. ELLIOTMy attention has been drawn to a memorandum by the convener of the housing committee of the Glasgow Corporation in which he states that the increased activity in iron and steel production has claimed a substantial quota of the labour so urgently required for housing in Glasgow. I regret, however, that information as to the number of workers affected is not available.
§ Mr. HARDIEIn view of the information at hand, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it is time that the Department took steps to see that the domestic needs of the people are attended to before banks, public stores, warehouses and things of that kind?
§ Mr. ELLIOTWe desire that the iron and steel and other heavy industries in Scotland should be brought into operation as soon as possible.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs there any reason why the corporation should not give a, guaranteed weekly wage to the workers on their housing schemes?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI must await the statement which I have asked the Corporation of Glasgow to supply.