§ Mr. LEONARDasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the representations made to the Glasgow Corporation by a representative council of Glasgow women, of which a copy has been sent to him, protesting at the delay in replacing the 40,000 one-apartment houses in the city and pressing for speedy completion of suitable houses for working-class needs at rents from 5s. to 7s. per week, he is taking any action to compel the corporation to make full use of the Housing Act, 1930?
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§ sir G. COLLINSI have not received the representations referred to. The number of one-apartment houses in Glasgow according to the Census returns is 37,230. The average number of persons per house is 3.1 and it cannot, therefore, be assumed that all of these houses are overcrowded as there must be some with a less number of occupants than the average. Further, I am not able to say how many of these houses are unfit for human habitation. With regard to the provision of houses at rents from 5s. to 7s., the Housing (Financial Provisions)(Scotland) Act, 1933, gives a special subsidy for the rehousing of low-paid wage-earners in ocercrowded conditions in houses with a maximum rental of 6s. 6d. and the Department of Health for Scotland has written to the corporation urging them to make immediate use of this subsidy, houses under which must be completed by 30th June, 1935.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of state for Scotland the names of the towns in Scotland which, in response to the official inquiry, have notified the Department of Health that they have no slums?
§ Sir G. COLLINSAfter the passing of the Housing (Scotland) Act in 1930, the town councils of the following burghs in Scotland indicated that no new houses were required to replace unfit houses that should be demolished or closed, namely, Aberchirder, Aberfeldy, Abernethy, Ballater, Banchory, Blairgowrie, Bridge of Allan, Burghead, Coupar Angus, Cove, Cullen, Dornoch, Elie, Fortrose, Inveraray, Invergordon, Kinross, Ladybank, Lauder, Lockerbie, Millport, Monifieth, Newport, and Portknockie. I may add that local authorities are required under the Act to submit further statements as to housing requirements in their areas at the end of 1933.
§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the returns from the Scottish local authorities regarding the proposed five years' plan for new housing schemes?
§ Sir G. COLLINSLocal authorities have been asked to submit the return not later than the end of this year.
§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the recent estimate made by architects 2787W that a minimum of 100,000 houses is required to replace existing slums and overcrowded houses in Glasgow; and whether he will take the necessary action to influence the city council to bring forward the building schemes necessary to provide the necessary houses?
§ Sir G. COLLINSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regard the second part, the Department of Health have already addressed special letters to Glasgow Corporation urging them to make the utmost possible provision for the erection of houses to replace uninhabitable houses and to abate overcrowding.
§ Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is taking any action to compel local authorities to proceed with schemes for the replacement of slums and the accommodation of people who are at present housed in overcrowded dwellings?
§ Sir G. COLLINSFollowing upon the passing of the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1933, the Department of Health, by circular dated 30th May, 1933, urged local authorities to press on with the provision of re-housing accommodation for persons living in uninhabitable houses. The Department are following this up by special letters to all local authorities of areas in which, according to the available information, there appears to be need for the provision of further houses to replace unfit houses, and to relieve overcrowding.