§ 10 and 11. Mr. Graham Pageasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will make a statement on the review of housing cost yardsticks;
§ (2) what machinery he has set up to establish a regular review of housing cost yardsticks; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacCollWhen my right hon. Friend introduced the housing cost yardsticks he undertook to review them at intervals of a year or less. The first review is now proceeding, in consultation with the local authority associations, but he is not yet ready to make a statement.
§ Mr. PageWill the Parliamentary Secretary give some indication of when he will be ready? Is it not a fact that it is now two years since this review was promised in the appropriate circular? What is happening at the Ministry which prevents the Minister carrying out announced programmes?
§ Mr. MacCollAs a result of the review, we are getting interesting and sometimes rather varied experience and criticisms of the yardsticks. To be fair, we are anxious to get the right answers, but I hope that before long we shall be able to make a statement.
§ Mr. CostainWill the hon. Gentleman agree that the Government themselves have added so much to the cost of houses by S.E.T., import deposits, etcetera that this review should be not annual but whenever the Government increase the cost by their own actions?
§ Mr. MacCollNo. We have such good new subsidies and a tremendous response to our claim to get a larger number of house completions that we have to control public expenditure by having yardsticks to do it.