52. Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with his regular monthly statement with regard to the progress of slum clearance, he will add the number of cases in which landlords have received any measure of compensation, and the number of cases 1369 in which local authorities have granted compensation in respect of the destruction of the business of shopkeepers?
§ Sir K. WoodI presume that by compensation of landlords my hon. Friend means the making of payments under Section 42 of the Act of 1936. Up to the end of February, 1938, I have directed such payments in regard to 3,997 houses. As regards the second point raised by my hon. Friend, the value of a monthly return would not, in my view, be sufficient to justify the labour and cost involved, but I will obtain a special return in the near future and publish a summary in the Annual Report of my Department.