§ Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Health what county councils are using their powers of control over unsightly advertisement hoardings; and whether he is satisfied that these powers are adequate for the purpose?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have been asked to reply. The total number of county councils which have made bylaws under the Advertisements Regulation Acts is 52, and I will give my hon. Friend a list of them. As my hon. Friend will remember, the control over unsightly advertisements was fully con- 1229W sidered by Parliament and the powers of the councils strengthened in 1925, when the amending Advertisements Regulation Act was passed. I am afraid it is much too early to measure the effectiveness of the Act, having in view the five years' exemption conferred on then existing advertisements.
§ Mr. HURDasked the Minister of Health what progress is being made with the work of the Lionel Earle Committee for the abatement of the disfigurement of the town and countryside by unsightly and misplaced petrol pumps?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have been asked to reply. The Committee is
Year. Number of Houses completed uuder Totals. Housing, Town Planning, etc., (Scotland) Act, 1919. Housing (Additional Powers) Act, 1919. Housing, etc., Act, 1923. Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924. General. Slum Clearance. 1921 4,437 1,142 — — — 5,579 1922 9,492 980 — — — 10,472 1923 6,309 89 12 208 — 6,618 1924 2,346 5 1,416 621 — 4,388 1925 1,891 — 4,200 1,547 546 8,184 1926 204 — 5,683 2,000 4,583 12,470 1927 22 — 4,235 2,046 12,729 19,032 1928 (to 31st October) — — 2,298 1,802 10,257 14,357 24,701 2,216 17,844 8,224 28,115 81,100 Note.—During the same period, in addition to the above, 17, demonstration steel houses were built by local authorities and 2,552 steel houses by the Second Scottish National Housing Company (Housing Trust), Ltd., with State assistance in both cases.