§ Mr. MARCUSasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, having regard to the existing law in relation to overcrowding, he will state the ground upon which he has sanctioned the policy announced by the Director of Housing for Scotland agreeing to the construction of 40 per cent. two-room houses and 60 per cent. three-room houses under the 1923 Act (Improvement and Reconstruction Scheme) and the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1924?
Mr. W. ADAMSONNo such policy as is referred to has been announced by the Department of Health for Scotland, and in fact I have sought persistently to reduce the proportions of two-roomed houses sanctioned in recent years. My predecessors allowed a maximum of 60 per cent. of two-roomed houses in Scottish housing schemes. I have sought to make the normal proportion of such houses not more than 25 per cent.; but in one or two instances where the circumstances were exceptional I have agreed to 40 per cent., subject to restrictions for the prevention of overcrowding and for securing the necessary separation of the sexes.