§ 2. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the progress made so far with the sale of council houses to sitting tenants in Wales.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Wyn Roberts)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I will not be satisfied until all public sector tenants in Wales who wish to exercise their right to buy, and qualify to do so under the Housing Act 1980, have been able to complete their purchases.
§ Mr. RobertsSome 49 per cent. of applicants have received offer notices. My right hon. Friend and I wrote to local authorities asking them to ensure that all those who had applied to buy their homes before 3 April 1981 should have had an offer notice by the end of last year, and much progress has been made in that direction.
§ Mr. Roy HughesHas the Minister noticed that all his Conservative colleagues have tabled questions relating to the sale of council houses? Does that mean that the Conservative Party and the Welsh Office now regard that as the most important issue facing Wales? Is not the most important issue the fact that Wales is faced with catastrophic unemployment, the like of which has not been seen in Britain for 50 years?
§ Mr. RobertsI am sorry that the hon. Gentleman does not regard the interest of the 13 per cent. of Welsh council tenants—38,621 people—who have applied for the right to buy their homes as of great importance, which my hon. Friends clearly do.