22.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of inhabited houses in Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Perth, Aberdeen and Paisley, respectively, which have been condemned by the sanitary authorities as unfit for human habitation; and if he will consider the introduction of legislation to make it impossible for rent to be obtained from those condemned houses?

In reply to the first part of the Question the figures are as follow:

Glasgow	…	…	…	12,150
Dundee	…	…	…	1,103
Edinburgh	…	…	…	938
Perth	…	…	…	273
Aberdeen	…	…	…	1,099
Paisley	…	…	…	93

I am afraid that I cannot hold out any prospect of legislation on the lines suggested.

Seeing that leading Members of the Government feel that owners of such property have very uneasy consciences, will not they do something to try to relieve the burden of their conscience by keeping them from getting rent for such premises?

In view of the appalling state of housing in Dundee, of which the right hon. Gentleman is quite cognisant, will he now withdraw the ban he has placed upon the Town Council for setting up, with public assistance, works for producing cement blocks?

The hon. Member should put that down.