HC Deb 22 May 1939 vol 347 cc1933-4W
Mr. Trevor Cox

asked the Minister of Health how many new houses have been built; how many persons have been re-housed; and when the schemes will be completed in the county division of Stalybridge and Hyde?

Mr. Elliot

A total of 1,078 houses accommodating 5,196 persons have been provided for the re-housing of persons displaced from unfit and overcrowded houses and proposals have been approved for a further 194 houses accommodating 873 persons. In addition, since January, 1919, 1,592 houses have been built by the local authorities in the division and 2,285 by private enterprise.

The slum clearance programmes of these authorities comprised in all 1,529 unfit houses, of which 1,411 were in clearance areas and 118 were individual houses. Of these, 1,268 have been included in clearance areas declared and 75 have been demolished as the result of individual action. The number of overcrowded houses disclosed at the survey was 781, and by the end of 1937 abatement had been secured in 321 of these.

It is not possible to say precisely when the necessary action will be completed, especially as slum clearance programmes are subject to extensions from time to time, but the satisfactory progress already made suggests that no undue delay is likely.