HC Deb 26 July 1972 vol 841 cc1816-7
29. Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to restore subsidies for municipal housing in areas in which the housing list includes persons representing more than 5 per cent. of residents in the area concerned.

Mr. Amery

The new subsidies under the Housing Finance Bill will meet about 75 per cent. of the deficits in the housing revenue account of those authorities which build to meet the housing needs of their area.

Mr. Janner

Does the hon. Gentleman not agree that in areas such as Leicester, where over 8 per cent. of the population are included in the housing list, permanent and powerful help should be given to help the municipality to build homes for the people who are less well off, particularly the old, the young married couples and the disabled?

Mr. Amery

Yes, I would entirely agree, but I hope that the hon. Member will recognise that under the new Bill local authorities concerned no longer have to put up rents to meet deficits resulting from new building and that the liability for the ratepayers is limited to 25 per cent. of any deficit which may be incurred—in many cases it will not be incurred—as a result of new building.

Mr. Tebbit

May I ask my right hon. Friend—the Minister for Housing and Construction this time—when he is considering these matters to satisfy himself as to the genuineness of these lists in view of the Sheffield survey?

Mr. Amery

Yes, indeed.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Have the Government dropped their declared intention to reduce by up to £200 million a year the subsidies which would have been paid by 1975 under the present system?

Mr. Amery

I do not see how that supplementary question arises from the main Question.