HC Deb 22 October 1969 vol 788 cc256-7W
Dr. Gray

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of houses in rural Norfolk are without a piped water supply.

Mr. Denis Howell

According to the 1961 Census, 16,306 dwellings or 16.62 per cent. of all dwellings in rural districts in Norfolk were then without a cold water tap. Some of those with a tap may not have been supplied from the mains. Even at that time, however, a mains supply was available nearby to some of those dwellings and since then grant has been awarded for schemes to make a piped supply available for the first time to about a further 4,000 properties. Because each of these figures is on a slightly different basis it would not be possible to deduce an up-to-date percentage from them.

Dr. Gray

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what percentage of houses in rural Norfolk are without hot water, fixed baths and internal closets.

Mr. Freeson

The report of the sample census held in 1966 showed that for rural districts in Norfolk the percentages were as follows:

No hot water tap 24.3 per cent.
No fixed bath 25.6 per cent.
No internal water closet 29.2 per cent.
I hope that local authorities will use their powers under the Housing Act, 1969, to campaign against these substandard conditions urgently.

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