§ 34. Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a further statement of his plans to increase the availability of mortgages for houses for owner-occupation built before 1919.
§ 42. Mr. Laneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking for the further encouragement of home ownership.
§ 50. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to initiate proposals for the extension of the opportunities for house ownership, especially for newly married young people; and what will be the estimated cost to public funds.
§ Mr. WilkinsonIs my hon. Friend aware that in the City of Bradford some 50,000 houses out of the total housing stock of 102,000 were built before the first world war and that much of the impetus of the House Improvement Scheme will be lost if young couples cannot obtain that sort of property?
§ Mr. HamiltonIs there any truth in all the rumours in the Press about the right hon. Gentleman's ideas for helping young married couples? Can he say how soon he will be making a statement, and whether it will include a reduction in interest charges, which is a large part of the problem?
§ Mr. AmeryI hope to make a statement before very long, but I would rather not expatiate at this stage on the different proposals I have been discussing with the building societies and local authorities.
§ Mr. FreesonIs there not a fast way in which the Government could take action in this respect? Most mortgages for old property are derived from local authority sources. Would the Minister consider reviewing the annual allocation 1830 from which local authorities can lend money for this purpose and increase it as soon as possible?
§ Mr. AmeryI very much hope that in this respect we shall be able to do a great deal better than did the previous Administration.