HC Deb 26 February 1973 vol 851 cc1040-1
6. Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied that the arrangements for special yardstick allowances for housing schemes in areas of stress are working satisfactorily.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Yes, Sir. Since the introduction of the special allowance no scheme submitted to the Welsh Office for approval has had to be abandoned on cost grounds.

Mr. Edwards

Is my hon. Friend aware that in Pembrokeshire many local authorities, including Milford Urban District Council and Haverfordwest Rural District Council, are having great difficulty in getting contractors to tender under the present cost yardsticks and that this is gravely holding up the housing programme? Will he undertake to look at the problem again most seriously?

Mr. Gibson-Watt

I accept what my hon. Friend says. There are certainly problems in this part of West Wales. In the same way as I said I would meet representatives of Swansea with their Members of Parliament, I should be happy to do the same for my hon. Friend.

Mr. John

While no scheme might have been abandoned, surely the Minister concedes that there have been considerable problems for many councils in conforming to the yardsticks. Representations have had to be made to the Welsh Office to secure revision of these yardsticks, notably in the case of Cowbridge Rural District Council, where sheltered accommodation had to be deferred because of the yardsticks. Will the Minister now say that the Welsh Office will in future be more generous in fixing its yardstick and more speedy in revising it where it appears to be unrealistic?

Mr. Gibson-Watt

I do not accept that we have been unrealistic over this matter. The yardstick has been a matter of controversy for some time and it would not he possible for the Government at present to go further than its present position.