§ Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Health (1) whether, seeing that out of the 28 Metropolitan borough councils in the year 1926, 22 contributed either nothing or less than a farthing rate to clearance schemes or new buildings, he is prepared to use his powers to induce these councils to meet their responsibilities;
(2) whether, seeing that the borough councils of Southwark, with a last census overcrowded population of 41,574 living more than two to a room, Paddington, with 20,236 living more than two to a room, and St. Marylebone with 16,159 living more than two to a room, have built no houses under any of the Housing Acts since 1920, he is prepared to use his powers to induce the councils to meet their responsibilities;
(3) whether, seeing that the borough of Stoke Newington, with an overcrowded population of 4,137 living more than two to a room, has built no houses under the Housing Acts since 1922, he is prepared to use his powers to induce the council to meet its responsibilities?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not think it is practicable in London to divorce the work of the county council and the metropolitan borough councils quite as the hon. Member proposes. The Housing Acts provide both as regards slum clearance and new house provision for cooperation between the borough councils and the County Council. As regards provision of new houses, many of the borough councils are limited by the amount of354W land available for development, and, in view of Section 80 of the Act of 1925, they have no power to provide houses outside their own areas. The Section contemplates that schemes which may serve the purposes of more than one borough shall be undertaken by the County Council. I am satisfied that the steps taken by the Housing Committee of the County Council have resulted in a large measure of co-operation between them and the borough councils, and I may mention that under arrangements made between the authorities considerable numbers of houses provided in County Council schemes have been earmarked under contributory arrangements to inhabitants of Paddington, Southwark, Stoke Newington and St. Marylebone.