§ 9. Mr. McGovernasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that Mrs. Margaret Brown, 145, Culrain Street, Sandyhilis, Shettleston, has been threatened with eviction from her house because she was slightly behind with her rent; that Mr. Brown was killed in the late War of 1914–18 and that she has a girl suffering from paralysis; and whether he will take steps to prevent this eviction, seeing that these steel houses are Government property and that a late Secretary of State promised to attempt to humanise the second Scottish National Housing Department?
§ Mr. ColvilleI am informed that Mrs. Brown was evicted on 28th June by order of the sheriff. I understand that shortly after she became the tenant of the Second Scottish National Housing Company in December, 1933, she fell into arrears with her rent and has been continuously in arrears ever since, to an amount at times exceeding £12. She was warned out of her house on that account at Whitsun 1935, 1936 and 1937, but the notices were withdrawn on her promising to pay. After a preliminary warning in November, 1937, a formal notice to remove was served on her on 29th March, 1938, when her arrears amounted to over £9. I understand that she agreed 157 verbally to remove, and the house was re-let to another tenant with occupancy at Whitsun, 1938. Mrs. Brown then intimated she did not intend to leave. In the circumstances the company felt that they must take legal action to recover possession of the house.
§ Mr. McGovernIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when they talk about arrears of £9 they actually mean a four-handed quarter's rent, which means £8 15s., or thereabouts, and that usually this woman was slightly behind, that she is the widow of a soldier who was killed in the War, that she has a paralysed daughter and that she has been able to make these payments only as she has the money, supplemented by her own earnings?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is repeating what is in the question on the Paper.
§ Mr. McGovernNo, Sir.
§ Mr. SpeakerDoes the hon. Gentleman wish to put a supplementary question?
§ Mr. McGovernMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that a number of other tenants have been put out of their houses because these people did not think they would be capable of paying their rent when they were unemployed, and whether it is not time that something was done when a company of this kind is putting tenants out into the street in this way?
§ Mr. CassellsWill the Minister advise the House as to the number of units in the family, the weekly rent and the average weekly income?
§ Mr. ColvilleMy information is that the average weekly income amounts to £2 7s. 6d.
§ Mr. T. SmithHow many people are there to keep out of that money?
§ Mr. ColvilleI understand that there are Mrs. Brown and her son and daughter, that Mrs. Brown is in receipt of a permanent pension of £I 17s. 6d. and that her son, a young boy, is presently earning 10s. a week. I will look into the point made by the hon. Member for Shettleston (Mr. McGovern).
§ Mr. McGovernI beg to give notice that I will raise this matter upon the Scottish Estimates.