§ 13. Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local housing authorities have applied to operate a half and half housing scheme.
§ Mr. KaufmanA formal inquiry has been received from another authority and several others have inquired informally about Birmingham's scheme.
§ Mr. RookerDoes my hon. Friend accept that if the Birmingham scheme were launched nationally it could make a significant contribution to the housing 395 needs of this country in that it provides less call on public funds? Will the Department take urgent action on this matter and not let it lie on the shelf, as the previous administration did?
§ Mr. KaufmanIt is because of legislation passed by this Government that the admirable scheme that Birmingham has initiated has been made possible. That being so, we hope that other local authorities will study it to see whether they could introduce it.
§ Mr. EyreIs the Minister aware that any helpful measure of this kind which can be made to work in practical terms is to be welcomed? Does he realise, however, that the helpfulness of this scheme is limited by the restriction which has recently been imposed on local authority funds for this purpose and that that restriction will have particularly unfortunate consequences in large towns and cities? May I also stress that another factor is the willingness of councils, particularly Socialist councils, to make land available for sponsored low-cost housing, so that the fund of houses for purchase by low-income purchasers can be increased rather than reduced under municipalisation plans?
§ Mr. KaufmanThe hon. Gentleman has made yet another suggestion for increased public expenditure. I concur in his general sentiments, however, which will be greatly improved if some local authorities not under Socialist control do not sell off their housing land.