§ 3. Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will take steps to provide loans to building societies and local authorities to facilitate the provision of mortgages on older properties.
§ Sir K. JosephLocal authorities already have comprehensive powers to provide loans for house purchase and are under no restriction in the amount they can lend. The possible needs of the building societies are part of a wider review I am making of the prospects for maintaining the growth of home ownership.
§ Mr. OsbornI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Is he aware that by one estimate alone there are about 4 million houses whose landlords cannot afford to make the necessary repairs and in respect of which assistance of this type would be welcomed so that the occupiers could buy the houses?
§ Sir K. JosephI am making a review of the whole subject.
§ Mr. H. HyndIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that local authorities still have to pay about twice the amount of interest which was required under the Labour Government? Is it not possible to narrow the gap?
§ Sir K. JosephThe hon. Gentleman must realise that, despite the higher interest rate and for reasons which go very wide, a far more massive programme on the housing and on every other front is being carried out under this Administration.