§ 17. Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many single-apartment houses are occupied by families; and how many two apartment houses, without modern amenities, are occupied by families.
§ Mr. NobleThe numbers of one- and two-apartment houses occupied at the time of the 1961 Census were 48,333 and 304,174 respectively. It is estimated that about half of all the households concerned consisted of only one or two persons. About 231,500 two-apartment houses lacked a fixed bath, 182,000 were without a hot water tap, 8,900 without a water closet and 4,800 without a cold water tap.
§ Mr. DempseyDoes not this make a complete mockery of all the Conservative Party's pledges and promises at General Elections? After 13 years of Conservative rule, people in Scotland are living in these shocking conditions. Is it not a disgrace to the nation, to the Secretary of State and to the party that he represents? Is it not about time that he was getting cracking with building houses to provide decent homes and amenities for these people?
§ Mr. NobleThe fact that the number of houses under construction is an all-time record shows that something has been done. Even allowing for the fact that about 25,000 one- and two-apartment houses were provided by public authorities between 1951 and 1961, the total number of houses of this size fell by 95,000 in that period. This indicates that about 120,000 of that type of house have been demolished or got rid of in one way or another in the 10 years.
§ Mr. RossIs the Secretary of State aware that the shockng figures he gave amply prove that we have had 13 years of neglect of the real needs of Scotland?
§ Mr. NobleIn view of the housing figures achieved by the hon. Gentleman and his party, I do not think that is a fair criticism.