§ 21. Mr. Hordernasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now take steps to allow the New Towns Commission for Crawley the same arrangements for subsidies for houses that it builds for letting as are allowed to the Crawley Urban District Council for the same purpose.
§ Mr. MacCollNo, Sir. My right hon. Friend does not think that the Commission for the New Towns should build subsidised houses for general purposes. This is the job of the local housing authority. I am sending the hon. Mem 1152 ber a copy of a letter that my right hon. Friend recently wrote to the Chairman of the Commission on this point.
§ Mr. HordernDoes not the Minister appreciate that the only effect of this policy of withdrawing subsidies from the New Towns Commission in Crawley has been to increase the level of rents of Commission houses by 17½ per cent. and that a further 17½ per cent. is in the offing? Does this not make a complete nonsense of the Government's prices and incomes policy?
§ Mr. MacCollNo, the point is that we would be very happy if these were sold or cost-rented. The Commission, again in the exercise of its discretion, is being pressed very strongly to be allowed to reduce the rents. That is a matter for it to decide, but my right hon. Friend's policy is quite clear.