§ 18. Mr. A. Evansasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will state the amount of overcrowding in each of the Metropolitan boroughs.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe information desired is not available, for local authorities have not reported on overcrowding in their districts since the end of the war, as they have been fully occupied with slum clearance and their other housing responsibilities.
§ Mr. EvansWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that he would be better informed about the London housing problem if he had this information? Will he now use the powers that Parliament gave him last year in the 1957 Housing Act and require the local authorities concerned to supply him with this information so that he may know the position?
§ Mr. BrookeMetropolitan boroughs are free agents and can make what investigation they wish and, if serious cases of overcrowding are brought to their notice, can use the powers given under Section 90 of the 1957 Act.
§ Mr. MitchisonIs it not the duty of the right hon. Gentleman to find out about overcrowding in the Metropolitan 186 area—he must know perfectly well that there is a great deal of it—just as he thought it is his duty to find out about another matter—slum houses?
§ Mr. BrookeThe main object is to get on with slum clearance and other matters, rather than divert staff. It is quite true that twenty-five years ago one-eighth of the population of London was living at the rate of more than two persons to a room, but by now it has fallen to a mere fraction of that.
§ Mr. LiptonHow does the right hon. Gentleman know?
§ Mr. BrookeFor one thing, I know by reference to the 1951 Census, and there has been a further improvement since then.
§ Mr. MitchisonWhy does the right hon. Gentleman obstinately neglect overcrowding?
§ Mr. EvansOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek an opportunity of raising this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment.