§ Colonel DAYasked the Minister of Health whether any slum areas in the borough of Southwark have been reconditioned by private enterprise and so made fit for habitation; and whether he will consider the desirability of issuing a circular to local authorities calling attention to their powers under the Public Health Acts whereby they can compel private owners to recondition insanitary property without expense to ratepayers?
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§ Mr. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAINDuring the year 1924 the Southwark Borough Council served notices under the Public Health Acts on owners requiring defects to be remedied in 9,594 houses and in 9,450 cases the defects were remedied by the owners during the year. The number of such notices served in the whole country during the same period was over 300,000 and I have no reason for thinking that local authorities are not fully cognisant of their powers.