HC Deb 05 December 1973 vol 865 cc1255-7
23. Mr. John Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the most recent figures for the completion of new dwellings in 1973 and a comparison with figures for the same period in 1969.

Mr. Channon

The latest housing figures were published on 28th November. The figures requested for the first 10 months of the years in question are 245,000 and 301,000 in Great Britain. In the first nine months of 1973, 342,000 improvement grants were approved compared with 91,000 in the same period of 1969.

Mr. Fraser

Does not the Minister feel ashamed of the new housing figures? Is he aware that the feeling is increasing that the Tories do not understand the problem of working-class people who are condemned to live year after year in rotten housing which is not being helped by improvement grants? I invite him to come to my borough. He knows that in my borough, despite any number of improvement grants, the number of houses available for ordinary working-class people is decreasing. We know that there are new buildings but they are not in Lambeth. There is not enough land in Lambeth.

Mr. Channon

I cannot accept that rotten homes are not being improved by improvement grants. Many of our older houses which do not have basic amenities are being improved by means of improvement grants.

Mr. Stallard

You know that that is not true.

Mr. Channon

It is true. I thought that that was the reason for the Labour Party bringing in the Housing Act 1969. The fact remains that, when we consider the new homes and the improved homes which are being provided by the Government, the figures are extremely good.

Mr. Winterton

Will my hon. Friend tell the House how much of the building problem, which I concede is undoubtedly with us, is due to the shortage of building materials? Does he agree that the national housing position could be improved if the smaller builders were allowed to buy some of the building land instead of allowing it to be bought up by many of the national developers, who hold on to it to give themselves several years of building ahead?

Mr. Channon

I agree that it is important that the smaller builders should have enough land. Builders who build fewer than 10 houses a year are building more than one-third of Britain's houses. I agree that that is right. There have been difficulties regarding building materials. I believe that the situation is now easing. If hon. Members have particular points of difficulty. I shall be grateful if they will send them to me.

Mr. Stallard

Does the Minister accept, as he dares to hide behind the improvement grant figures lo excuse the appalling housing record of his Government, that in inner London improvement grants have not had the effect intended in the 1969 or 1949 Acts by Labour Governments? For instance, in my constituency improvement grants have had the effect of taking hundreds of homes out of the rented sector. Those homes are now being sold at fabulous profits. Is the Minister aware that houses which have been converted with public money are being sold at very high prices? In my constituency a one-bedroom flat is for sale for £14,000. Does the Minister think that the worker or controlled tenant who used to live in that property could now go back into it?

Mr. Channon

If the hon. Gentleman's borough is giving improvement grants in these conditions, it is one of the most scandalous condemnations of the Labour-controlled borough of Camden that I have ever heard.

Mr. Evelyn King

Is my hon. Friend aware that completions are being seriously delayed by delays in planning consent? It now takes on average, according to his own figures, 67 weeks to hear an appeal against a planning consent. When one adds to that the time it takes to get the planning application in, a house can be delayed for as much as two years. This is a serious and constructive point and it must have an effect on the figures if urgent action is not taken.

Mr. Channon

I entirely agree that delays in giving planning consent are worrying. This is one of the reasons why my right hon. and learned Friend recently announced the inquiry by Mr. George Dobry, and he hopes to have an interim report from the committee very soon.

Mrs. Castle

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in Blackburn a considerable number of houses are currently being scheduled as unfit? In view of his first reply, do I take it that he is only too anxious to continue the payment of improvement grants at 75 per cent., the rate for intermediate areas, for the improvement of such areas?

Mr. Channon

Of course, unfit houses should be cleared. If there are slums, I hope that Blackburn will press ahead with its slum clearance programme.