§ 14 and 15. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) if he will state the owner of the houses in Barclay Street, Sandford Hill, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, into which the Ministry's inspector conducted an inquiry; in what year the houses were built; on what date the houses were condemned; how many people live in each house; how many sleep in one room; and why he has not taken earlier action to save people from living in these houses which allow rain to fall in every room, and in which the cellars are full of water and vermin;
(2) why an inquiry was held into the condemned houses in Barclay Street, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent; on what date they were condemned; what was the 24W date of the inquiry, and the date of the report; when action will be taken; what is the inspector's opinion on the state of the houses; and what assistance he is giving to the local authority to assist them in rehousing the tenants.
Dr. HillThe Stoke-on-Trent City Council submitted a compulsory purchase order on five houses in Barclay Street on 1st May, 1961. Objection was made to the order and an inquiry was therefore held on 22nd August. The inspector found the houses to be unfit and the order was confirmed on 13th November.
My information does not cover all the points raised by the lion. Member, but I am sending him a copy of the inspector's report. It is not for me but for the City Council to determine the order in which families should be rehoused from unfit properties. Any houses built for this purpose will attract the usual subsidy.