HC Deb 05 May 1976 vol 910 cc1296-7
20. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the latest housing statistics are in the public and private sectors; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Shore

House building figures for the first quarter of 1976 were published on 27th April. They show that in the public sector starts were up by 25 per cent. on the first quarter of 1975, and completions by 12 per cent. On the same comparison in the private sector, starts and completions were up by 28 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively. These are encouraging figures and show that the improvement we achieved last year is being maintained.

Mr. Skinner

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that the figures for public sector dwellings would have been even better had it not been for the fact that the 60-year loan period for borrowing the money is reduced? For instance, does he agree that more than 80 per cent. of the total cost of any new council dwelling goes to the moneylenders, and that we ought to do something about that? Will he take up the suggestion that I made to his predecessor of trying to find ways of reducing the 60-year loan period and, in the process, making the necessary compensatory payments to local authorities because of the extra payments that will be incurred over the shorter repayment period?

Mr. Shore

I certainly note what my hon. Friend said about the 60-year loan period. Indeed, that point was alluded to by my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heller) in an earlier supplementary question. I think that I should be well advised—as it were, advising myself—to say no more than that I am happy to look into that suggestion.

Mr. George Rodgers

Does my right hon. Friend agree that in practicaly every area in the country there is an abundance of private houses available for sale? In those circumstances, and as every local authority responsible for housing has a huge waiting list, should not greater attention be concentrated on the provision of houses in the public sector?

Mr. Shore

I think that my hon. Friend will agree that there is satisfactory information of a growing provision of houses in the public sector. In addition, there are the municipalisation proposals on which we are concentrating in respect of areas of great housing stress.