§ 65. Mr. Dayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will state separately, according to the latest statistics in the possession of his Department, the number of occupied houses and flats in Scotland containing one, two, or three rooms; and will he give any information he may have as to the number of persons to each room?
§ Mr. ColvilleAccording to the reports on overcrowding made by local authorities in 1935–36, which contain the latest information available, the numbers of houses surveyed of one, two and three apartments were 97,300, 410,000 and 333,900, respectively. While I regret that information as to the average number of persons to each room is not readily available, the reports showed that of the houses surveyed 46 per cent., 47 per cent., and 22 per cent., respectively, were overcrowded on the standard laid down in the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1935.
§ Mr. ColvilleThe latest survey was at the date to which I referred.
§ 67. Mr. Gallacherasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the case of Mrs. Ross, who has for 18 years been a tenant of a council house at 1, Preston Street, High Valleyfield, Fife, but who, following the death of her husband in March, omitted to pay one month's rent as she intended to move to smaller premises, and was paid up one month in advance; whether he is aware that on 18th April, a sheriff's officer and assistant visited her and forbade her to remove her furniture, and that now the county council are demanding payment from her of the expenses incurred by the sheriff officers; and whether he will take up with the county council this treatment of a tenant against whom no complaint had been made over a long period?
§ Mr. ColvilleI understand that the case to which the hon. Member refers has been the subject of an action before the courts, and I am not in a position to make any comment upon it. So far as the position of the county council is concerned, the hon. Member will be aware that the general management and control of houses erected by them is, under Statute, entirely in their own hands.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the Minister not aware of the very serious shock caused to a woman who has recently lost her husband when her house is entered by sheriff's officers and she does not understand the reason why they should come in and take control of her furniture; and will he not take up with the local authorities the question of avoiding action of that kind in future?
§ Mr. ColvilleI will bear in mind what the hon. Member has said about the way in which the case was handled, but I would point out that this matter is within the jurisdiction of the local authority.