§ 6. Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for Wales to what extent he has assessed the availability of all types of private houses for sale in Wales; and if he will obtain and publish information as to what extent mortgages are available for the purchase of these houses.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattThere are about 528,000 owner-occupied houses in Wales, any one of which might become available for sale. There are no financial restrictions on local authority mortgage lending and I am not aware of any difficulties in the private sector.
§ Mr. McBrideIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the typical Welsh house buyer now earns £41 a week and makes mortgage repayments of £38 a month thus paying on average 21.4 per cent. of his income? In the face of soaring land and house prices in Wales and the difficulty of securing mortgages for wage earners, can the hon. Gentleman hold out any hope of Tory Government assistance to the wage earner, the young marrieds and the homeless in Wales as they endeavour, without the Government assistance which they should have, to secure a home of their own?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI would remind the hon. Gentleman that the position with regard to financial restrictions on local authority mortgages has been greatly improved under the present Administration. That is a point he should recognise.