14. Roderickasked the Secretary of State for Wales on what basis housing finance allocations for 1978–79 have been made.
§ Mr. Alec JonesFor work on new house building, improvements and acquisitions, my right hon. and learned Friend has agreed to authorities proceeding with the whole of the programmes which they have notified to me.
Allocations for the expenditure block covering improvement grants and lending are based on authorities' estimates of what is likely to be spent on improvement grants plus an amount for lending calculated by reference to expected performance in 1977–78.
With permission, I shall publish details of allocations to individual authorities in the Official Report.
§ Mr. RoderickCan my hon. Friend assure me that he has adequate machinery for monitoring on a month-to-month basis the expenditure of the allocations made to ensure that the full amount is spent during the course of this year? Further, will he consider the possibility of setting up special allocations to local authorities to deal with the homelessness question, which is a new venture for the district councils?
§ Mr. Alec JonesCertainly monitoring is a very important issue. It is one of the factors drawn to our attention in the report of the working party last year. It is because of the improvement in our monitoring service that I was able to urge local authorities to increase their expenditure on housing need in Wales in this coming year.
Concerning homelessness, we have made the provision and it is now really a matter for each local authority to decide its own priorities. As I said earlier, we have allowed them to proceed with all the programmes, the whole of the programmes of which they told me.
§ Mr. D. E. ThomasWill not the Minister now accept that the cuts in housing expenditure in Wales centrally imposed on housing authorities by the Welsh Office played havoc last year and the year before in meeting housing need? Will he now repudiate the whitewash job by his Department and the Welsh Council last year in the so-called consultative document on housing finance in Wales?
§ Mr. Alec JonesI certainly do not repudiate the report. It was drawn up by a committee, half the members of which were elected members and officers of local authorities, who probably know a great deal more about housing in Wales and the practical day-to-day problems than either the hon. Gentleman or myself. Concerning cuts in the allocation, it seems to me that in this current year no reduction in public expenditure has been a factor in reducing house building. It is our inability to use the resources that the Government have made available.
§ Following are the details:
| HOUSING ALLOCATIONS 1978–79 | ||
| Local Authority | Lending/Improvement Grant Block in £000's | Main Block in £000's |
| Aberconwy BC | 250 | 1,290 |
| Afan BC | 510 | 1,645 |
| Alyn and Deeside DC | 340 | 1,060 |
| Arfon DC | 650 | 1,165 |
| Blaenau Gwent DC | 580 | 4,310 |
| Brecknock BC | 190 | 925 |
| Cardiff CC | 1,370 | 7,605 |
| Carmarthen DC | 350 | 1,755 |
| Ceredigion DC | 350 | 1,265 |
| Colwyn BC | 130 | 810 |
| Cynon Valley BC | 880 | 1,960 |
| Delyn DC | 170 | 1,195 |
| Dinefwr BC | 250 | 895 |
| Dwyfor DC | 240 | 500 |
| Local Authority | Lending/Improvement Grant Block in £000's | Main Block in £000's |
| Glyndwr DC | 200 | 1,105 |
| Islwyn DC | 660 | 1,895 |
| Llanelli BC | 1,160 | 1,450 |
| Lliw Valley BC | 890 | 1,970 |
| Meirionydd DC | 240 | 975 |
| Merthyr Tydfil BC | 560 | 2,735 |
| Monmouth DC | 310 | 1,575 |
| Montgomery DC | 120 | 970 |
| Neath BC | 750 | 1,530 |
| Newport BC | 1,370 | 4,165 |
| Ogwr BC | 1,110 | 4,600 |
| Preseli DC | 300 | 1,550 |
| Radnor DC | 150 | 505 |
| Rhondda BC | 2,140 | 2,665 |
| Rhuddlan DC | 60 | 720 |
| Rhymney Valley DC | 630 | 2,815 |
| South Pembrokeshire DC | 540 | 1,190 |
| Swansea CC | 2,040 | 3,825 |
| Taff-Ely BC | 1,250 | 3,235 |
| Torfaen DC | 520 | 3,395 |
| Vale of Glamorgan BC | 740 | 3,895 |
| Wrexham Maelor BC | 410 | 2,875 |
| Ynys Mon BC | 390 | 1,470 |
| 22,800 | 77,490 |