§ Mr. D. GRAHAMasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the report of the medical officer of health for the county of Stirling in which it is stated that 1,836 houses had been scheduled, of which 442 were considered unfit for habitation; can he state the condition of the remaining 1,394 houses that have been scheduled; and whether, as in the opinion of the housing committee the housing shortage 346W cannot be met by private enterprise without a subsidy, he will state what action he proposes to take to deal with the replacement of the total number of houses scheduled?
§ Mr. SKELTONThe report referred to shows that 442 houses are at present unfit for habitation. Of these it is anticipated that some may be reconditioned, and to accommodate families that will be displaced from the other houses, the local authority propose to proceed in the immediate future with the erection of additional houses up to a limit of 350. I am informed that the balance of 1,394 of the total of 1,836 houses mentioned in the report has already been dealt with, either by reconditioning or by the local authority providing new houses. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.