§ 37. Mr. Manuelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of subsidies paid to local authorities for houses completed in 1957 and 1963, respectively.
§ Mr. NobleHouses completed in the local authority financial year 1957–58 earn total annual subsidy of £827,466. The corresponding figure for houses completed in 1962–63 is £445,313.
§ Mr. ManuelDoes the right hon. Gentleman not agree that this is a very substantial decrease? Is he aware that this reduction in subsidies allied to the high interest charges is contributing to a situation in which local authority finances are getting into a mess and creating enormous difficulties? Has he any plans for an examination of local authority finances in Scotland with a view to providing some solution in the years ahead instead of allowing the situation to become completely unmanageable?
§ Mr. NobleThe main reason why there was a drop in this particular year is that there were 9,000 fewer houses being subsidised. But I find it difficult to accept the hon. Member's suggestion that everything is in a state of chaos when the housing figures for this year are so enormously greater than for any year since the war. It does not look as though the situation is desperate.
§ Mr. ManuelThe right hon. Gentleman is quite wrong. The figures for 1952 were very much higher in respect of the houses completed than for this year.
§ Mr. NobleThat is for houses completed. But a great many houses cannot be completed by the middle of April this year. If the hon. Member looks at the number of houses under construction, which at this time of the year is important, he will find that the figures are very different.