§ Mr. W. SMITHasked the Minister of Health (1) whether the Rural District Council of the Isle of Wight have com- 444W menced any of the 58 houses referred to by his Department; if so, how many; and whether any steps have been taken by that authority with respect to the other 43 houses contemplated in their new schemes;
(2) if he is now in a position to state, with respect to each parish in the rural district of the Isle of Wight, what is the approximate number of houses occupied or intended for occupation by members of the working classes within the meaning of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919; how many of those houses are not in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation; how many of those houses actually are unfit for human habitation; how many cannot be rendered fit for such habitation without reconstruction; what is the number of new houses which the rural district council proposes, under their original scheme, to erect in each parish; what is the number of new houses proposed to be so erected under their new scheme; and, in the event of such information being still unavailable, what steps have been taken by his Department to obtain it?
§ Sir A. MONDI understand that the 48 houses to which the hon. Member refers have not been commenced. The rest of the information which the hon. Member desires could only be obtained by a detailed inspection, and I do not think that this would be justified at the present time. I am, however, considering what it may be possible to undertake in this area, having regard to existing circumstances and the needs of other localities.