§ 6. Mr. Brewisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of authorities in the current year receiving £12, £32 and higher basic subsidies, respectively, under the Housing 1260 (Scotland) Act, 1962; and how the average subsidy so received compares with the rate payable before that Act was passed.
§ Mr. NobleClaims by 113 local authorities for the basic subsidies under the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1962, have so far been settled for the financial year 1963–64. Fifty authorities have qualified for £12 per house in respect of a total of 1,222 houses, and 63 authorities for £32 or more in respect of a total of 6,742 houses. The average subsidy paid on these claims is £30 11s. per house, compared with the flat rate of £24 per house paid under the Housing and Town Development (Scotland) Act, 1957.
§ Mr. BrewisIs it not clear that these changes in the subsidy provisions are helping very considerably with the housing programme in Scotland?
§ Mr. RossIf that is so, why was it that we built a greater number of local authority houses in the year before these things were available compared with the number built after?
§ Mr. NobleI am not sure to which year the hon. Gentleman refers, but certainly the figures for this year show a very encouraging rise.
§ Mr. GourlayCan the Secretary of State say how a comparison of the two subsidy rates which he announced this afternoon is relevant when in a Written Answer yesterday to a Question which I put to him he stated that the comparisons which I suggested were not too dissimilar were irrelevant? What justification does he have for refusing hon. Members information which is available to him?