§ Mr. M. MACDONALDasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that No. I site in the housing scheme for the burgh of Grangemouth, which the Board of Health has refused to sanction, is the only site at present vacant and not under cultivation in the burgh, and that the site was 1338W specially acquired by the town council for building thereon workmen's dwellings, and an obligation to that effect inserted in the feu charter, and that such buildings of a superior class extend the whole length on the opposite side of the street, and are let to superior tenants; whether he is aware that the town council's medical officer of health for the burgh and the sanitary inspector are unanimous in their opinion as to the suitability of the site in question, and that the ratepayers of the burgh, duly convened in public meeting, have had the correspondence with the Board submitted to them, and have unanimously approved of the site as suitable, and emphatically endorsed the town council's position and called on the Board to approve of the site, and to desist from its attempt to force its will on the local authority and the ratepayers; and, if so, whether he is prepared to sanction the site so as to let the housing scheme proceed and the requirements of the burgh be provided for without further delay?
§ Mr. PRATTThe Scottish Board of Health are advised that other and suitable sites which at the request of the local authority were inspected by the Board's inspector can be made available, and they are prepared to advise and assist the local authority in their selection. I understand that site No. I is part of an area of land acquired in 1911 by the town council for the purpose of a burgh cleansing depot. The Board have refused their approval of this site primarily because of its proximity to a soap works, cleansing depot, and stables, and I cannot hold out any prospect that the Board will reconsider their decision. I am informed that the area in question would only permit of the erection of twelve houses, while the requirements of the burgh as intimated by the local authority to the Board, are 270. I am aware that the medical officer of health has reported that he sees no valid objection to the site from the public health point of view. The Board, however, are satisfied, for the reasons above stated, that the site is quite unsuitable for the erection of houses for the working classes. The delay in preparing a housing scheme to meet the requirements of the burgh would seem to be due to the local authority's resolution to give no instructions regarding an alternative site.