Mr. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health if he will give for the years 1914–22 the number of local authorities taking action under the Health and Housing Acts in respect of insanitary houses; the number of representations made to them; and the number of houses closed by voluntary and compulsory action for each year, respectively?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINInformation is not available for the period during the War, and the information obtainable from the annual reports of medical officers of health for 1919 was too incomplete for tabulation.
The summarised particulars for 1920 and 1921 (the latest year for which information is available) are as follow:
1920. 1921. Total number of local authorities who submitted reports 1,503 1,665 Number of above local authorities who reported action under the Health and Housing Acts 1,227 1,364 Number of representations made with a view to the making of Closing Orders 3,189 2,965 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders were made 1,808 2,291 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders were determined after the houses had been rendered fit 754 527 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders became operative following declaration of owners after action under Section 28, Housing Act, 1919 425 623