24. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will revise the special subsidies for housing on expensive sites and housing for elderly people to meet the increased cost of housing land.
§ Mr. BrookeI do not think such a revision is needed. There is already a separate subsidy for expensive sites, in addition to any subsidy for the dwellings erected on them. This expensive site subsidy is payable in all appropriate cases and varies according to the cost of the site, not according to the purpose for which the dwellings are to be used.
Mrs. ButlerIs the Minister aware that he has admitted the need for subsidies for elderly persons' houses, in particular, and since he has admitted that need, is it not reasonable that these subsidies should be increased commensurate with the phenomenal increase in the price of land over the last twelve months? Is he also aware that there is considerable uncertainty on the part of local authorities about what the present ceiling of the expensive site subsidy is?
§ Mr. BrookeI do not understand why there should be any doubt in the minds of local authorities. There is no ceiling, except in one narrow class of cases. This expensive site subsidy varies according to the price of the land and, therefore, takes account of any increase in that price.