HC Deb 11 July 1938 vol 338 cc914-5
59. Mr. McGovern

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state, as a result of the inquiry into overcrowding in Glasgow, the number of single-apartment houses with 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3 persons, respectively; the number of these houses with cases of tuberculosis; and how many have children over 16 years of age in the family?

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Wedderburn)

As the answer to the first part of the question involves a number of figures, I propose with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the second part, I am informed that the only information available relates to a recent special investigation which showed that of the 257 cases of tuberculosis notified in one-apartment houses in 1937, 190 were in over-crowded houses. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.

Mr. McGovern

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a complete report in Glasgow from the dispensaries as to where the tuberculosis cases come from? Can he not persuade the local authorities at any rate to get that information, which is very important?

Mr. Wedderburn

Certainly, I will do my best.

Following is the statement: DEGREE OF OVERCROWDING in One-Apartment Houses in Glasgow, as shown by the report on the overcrowding survey carried out at the end of 1935.
Number of Units* in Family and Number of One-Apartment Houses containing the number of Units shown in Column (l).
(1) (2)
6,617
3 6,694
2,523
4 2,027
868
5 791
367
6 286
129
7 92
35
8 17
13
9 10
1
10 1
More than 10 1
20,472
* Section 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1935, which deals with the definition of overcrowding, provides that in computing the number of persons sleeping in a house, no account shall be taken of a child under one year old, and a child who has attained one year and is under 10 years old shall be reckoned as one-half of a unit.