HC Deb 21 June 1938 vol 337 cc887-90
54. Mr. Johnston

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Unemployment Assistance Board have communicated to him the reports of their inspectors regarding the housing conditions under which some of the applicants to the Board are living; and, if so, whether he can give the name of the local authority whose housing position was such that they were unable to help in a case in which 26 human beings, 10 of them adults, were occupying a house of three rooms?

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

Yes, Sir. The case referred to occurred in Buckhaven.

Mr. Johnston

Can the Under-Secretary state whether the housing position is still the same in Buckhaven that the local authorities are unable to deal with a case in which there are 26 human beings housed in one dwelling of three apartments?

Mr. Wedderburn

With regard to this particular case, the number of persons has been so far reduced from 26 to 15, and that makes up 11½ units according to the overcrowding standards. As there are only three rooms in the house, it is still very badly overcrowded. The authority intend to provide accommodation for the sub-tenants as soon as it is available.

Mr. Buchanan

Will the hon. Gentleman make a representation to the Unemployment Assistance Board on this matter that, instead of publishing general reports, which may reflect upon any particular case, they should make the report definite in character so that it may be understood to whom it applies?

Mr. Wedderburn

The Board can bring cases of bad housing to our notice which we take up with the local authority concerned. I do not know whether it would add to the value of their report if we made a practice of stating the name of the authority or not.

Mr. Buchanan

Is the Under-Secretary aware that the report as it reads would apply to any part of Scotland and is a reflection on local authorities generally, whereas if it stated definitely the places concerned, it would not be a reflection on every local authority?

61. Mr. Buchanan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of houses now being built by the Glasgow Corporation and the number completed in the past three months; and whether any estimate has been made of the number to be completed each month?

Mr. Wedderburn

At the end of May, the Corporation had 3,314 houses under construction and 1,398 approved but not begun. The numbers of houses completed in March, April and May of this year were 248, 264 and 283 respectively. With regard to the last part of the question, I am informed that the average monthly output during the next 12 months is expected to be about 290 houses.

62. Mr. Westwood

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were allocated for grant purposes to the 1930 and 1935 Housing Acts, respectively, for the respective years to 15th May, 1936–37, and 1937–38 and what was the average grant payable for the whole of the houses for each of these respective years?

Mr. Wedderburn

I regret that the complete information desired by the hon. Member is not yet available. The provisional information involves a number of figures and I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Westwood

May we learn now whether there is an increase in grant in the last year as compared with 1936–37?

Mr. Wedderburn

I think we dealt with that matter in the Debate on 29th March. It was stated then that the average had been £11 15s. We thought the average for the last available year was under £11 but it was not certain.

Following is the information:

Statement showing the numbers of houses so far allocated for grant purposes to the Housing (Scotland) Acts of 1930 and 1935 respectively for the years 15th May, 1937, and 15th May, 1938, and the average grant payable in respect of those houses.

Year ended. Houses allocated to 1930 Act. Houses allocated to 1935 Act. Average grand over year.
£ s. d.
15th May, 1937 9,905 2,183 11 15 0
15th May, 1938 2,169 2,092
1,900 of the 13,988 houses completed in the year ended 15th May, 1937, have not yet been allocated between the Acts of 1930 and 1935, and the average grant for that year is accordingly subject to adjustment. 10,400 of the 14,688 houses completed in the year ended 15th May, 1938, have not yet been allocated between the Acts of 1930 and 1935 and accordingly it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the average grant for that year.

63. Mr. Westwood

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of houses approved for grant purposes from 15th May, 1937, to 15th May, 1938, and how this compares with the years 1935–36 and 1936–37?

Mr. Wedderburn

The numbers of houses in State-assisted housing schemes included in tenders approved by the Department of Health for the years ended 15th May, 1936, 1937 and 1938, were 15,417, 28,301 and 14,031 respectively.