HC Deb 26 February 1975 vol 887 cc485-6
16. Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in which of the months since March 1974 the number of private houses started in Great Britain has exceeded the number of private houses started in the equivalent month of the previous year.

Mr. Kaufman

None, Sir, as was the case in 11 out of the 12 preceding months. Over the period since March 1974 the number of public sector starts has been greater each month than in the corresponding month in the previous year.

Mr. Latham

As the figures clearly show that the Government's April 1974 measures failed, what confidence can we place in the January 1975 measures?

Mr. Kaufman

We can place confidence in the fact that net new mortgage commitments were running at £140 mil- lion per month last spring and that the January figure for this year was £348 million—far more than double.

Mr. Ford

Is my hon. Friend aware that a further impact could be made on the construction of private housing if local authorities were encouraged to speed up their procedure for the consideration of planning applications? Is it not unsatisfactory that many local authorities meet only once a month—some only six-weekly—and that they sometimes demonstrate incompetence in dealing with applications?

Mr. Kaufman

I do not dissent from what my hon. Friend has said. Guidance will shortly be issued by the Department.