32. Mr. Bob Brownasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what e feet the proposed curtailment of house-building by local authorities in 1969–70 will have on the programmes of authorities in the Northern Region and of the programme of Newcastle City Council.
§ Mr. MacCollThe programmes of Newcastle City Council and other priority areas in the Northern Region will be safeguarded as we have already made clear. I cannot estimate what the precise allocation for particular regions will be until we have completed our discussions with the priority authorities about their requirements.
Mr. BrownIs my hon. Friend aware that many Tory controlled local authorities are quite prepared to see the measures as an excuse seriously to curtail house building? Is he further aware that the Newcastle City Council, with a waiting list of 6,000, is contemplating selling land within the city boundary to a "spec" builder?
§ Mr. MacCollI should be sorry to see a fall in the great housing record of Newcastle, but the council must make its own decisions.
§ Mr. Graham PageIs the House to understand from the hon. Gentleman's Answer that there is no allocation of these cuts throughout the country from area to area? Is this another example of the failure to prepare the cuts after devaluation?
§ Mr. MacCollNo. It is an example again of our extraordinary success in getting a record housing programme through and completed with the full cooperation and confidence of local authorities.