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75
This Bill provides that each local authority, before a date to be
fixed by the Minister, shall cause an inspection of its district to be
made for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of overcrowding in
the district. On completion of the inspection the local authority will
have to submit to the Minister a report showing (i) the result of the
inspection, (ii) the number of new houses required to abate over—
crowding in the district, and (iii) proposals for the provision of such
houses unless satisfied that the required number of new houses will be
otherwise provided. The Medical Officer of Health must also furnish
annually to the Minister particulars with regard to overcrowding in his
Borough.
The Bill seeks to provide that a dwelling-house shall be deemed
to be " overcrowded " if persons over 10 years of age of opposite sexes,
and not being persons living together as husband and wife, or an
excess of the " permitted number of persons ", sleep in one room.
The " permitted number of persons " is the number determined
in accordance with one or other of the two following tables, which—
ever be the less :—
(a) Where the dwelling-house consists of:—
(i) One room 2 persons.
(ii) Two rooms 3 „
(iii) Three rooms 5 „
(iv) Four rooms 7½ „
(v) Five rooms or more 10 persons, with an additional two
persons in respect of each room
in excess of five.
or
(b) the aggregate number obtained by reckoning for each room a
number of persons as follows:—
Where the floor area of a room is:—
(i) 110 square feet or more 2 persons.
(ii) 90 square feet or more, but less than
110 square feet „
(iii) 70 square feet or more, but less than
90 square feet 1 „
(iv) 50 square feet or more, but less than
70 square feet ½ „
(v) Under 50 square feet Nil.