§ Mr. ALLEN PARKINSONasked the Minister of Health in how many cases Section 28 of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, has been put into operation; in how many of these cases agreement was reached between the local authority and the owner of the house; in how many cases this Section of the Act has been carried out without the consent of the owners; and whether local authorities are refraining from putting this Section into force because of the power possessed by the owner of closing the house for human habitation?
§ Dr. ADDIS0NNo statistics are at present available as to the operations of local authorities under the Section. A number of cases have been submitted to my Department for decision under the Section in which it was claimed that the house could not be made fit without re construction, and in a considerable proportion the decision has been against the claim. It has to be borne in mind that the working of the provision in question depends not only on action taken directly under it, but also on the knowledge of owners that the local authority have this power if there is failure to carry out essential repairs.