§ 11. Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to announce an uprating of the grant limits set under the Housing Defects Act.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonIt is clear that for some types of PRC houses the present eligible limit is adequate. There are categories where experience may prove this is not the case, and the limit will be kept under review.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesI do not think the Minister needs any more experience because about two years ago his colleague, the hon. Member for Conway (Mr. Roberts) wrote to me stating that he was fully aware of the problem and that the Welsh Office was keeping the matter under review. I put to him the specific problem of Woolaway homes. The excuse used so far by the Welsh Office is that there is no PRC licence scheme available. Will the Minister confirm that there is a PRC licence scheme now available and there is no reason other than the obduracy of the Welsh Office why the grant limit should not be increased? The attitude of the Welsh Office seems to be that it will monitor schemes and review the limit in an upward direction if it proves necessary. That is no good at all. Unless the limit is raised there is no prospect of any work being carried out.
§ Mr. RobinsonReinstatement schemes have been introduced during the past two years. I can confirm that a scheme for Woolaway homes was approved on 3 March. As I have said, we continue to keep the expense limit under review in the light of experience. If the hon. Gentleman has evidence of such experience regarding Woolaway homes, I should be grateful if he would send it to me.