Catalogue description Local Government Board and successors: Housing and Town Planning Department and successors: Housing Orders, Registered Files

This series relates to measures taken by Parliament, local authorities and other bodies to deal with the problem of slum clearance, overcrowding and redevelopment of land for housing and other purposes.

The Housing Act 1890 was the first to make any real attempt to legislate for the demolition, closure and repair of insanitary houses and to give local authorities power to develop slum areas: Prior to 1919 little progress was made.

The Housing Act 1919 was the first to impose a definite duty on local authorities to provide for the housing needs of their districts in so far as not provided by other means and where provision was made for Exchequer assistance.

The Housing Act 1925 first established the policy of dealing with the demolition of areas of blocks of houses and securing the repair of insanitary housing.

The Housing Act 1930 marked the turning point in Government policy: previously the main object had been to encourage the provision of houses for the working classes without any direct emphasis on slum conditions or overcrowding. This had not served to alleviate these conditions to any great extent and the Government now called upon every local authority in the country to ascertain by survey the extent of slum conditions in their areas and to adopt a comprehensive policy for the total clearance and rehousing within five years.

The Housing Act 1935 provided measures to abate overcrowding: local authorities were required to make an inspection of working class houses in their districts to ascertain overcrowding and to submit a report to the Minister.

The Housing Act 1936 was a consolidating measure.

The files contain reports of the Department's Inspectors, District Valuers' reports, Medical Officer of Health reports, Clearance Orders, Closing and Demolition Orders, objections, Compulsory Purchase Orders and relevant correspondence.