§ LORD BROOKE OF CUMNORMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why, in view of their announcement on January 19, 1970, of an increase in the Exchequer grant for strengthening tall blocks of flats following the Ronan Point disaster from 40 per cent. to 50 per cent. they resisted an Opposition Amendment on July 16, 1969 so to increase it.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRE-TARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD KENNET)My Lords, since my right honourable friend made his original offer of a 40 per cent. grant for blocks covered by the recommendations of the Tribunal of Inquiry there have been further developments. The representative rate for basic housing subsidy has been increased and further information has been received from local authorities about the costs falling on them. My right honourable friend has been impressed by the views expressed and has therefore decided that it would be equitable for central Government and the local authorities concerned to share equally the financial burden of admissible expenditure.
§ LORD BROOKE OF CUMNORMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for the courtesy of that Answer and for the rightness of the Government's decision. May I ask whether he can add something of 458 substance to the Answer? What real facts have occurred since last July, apart from the overwhelming arguments adduced by the Opposition at that time, which the Government then rejected and have now conceded?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, the real facts which have occured are those which I gave in my original Answer; namely, that the representative rate has been increased and that the local authorities have given us more details about the costs falling upon them, neither of which facts had occurred at the time when the noble Lord pressed us to increase it last July.
§ LORD BROOKE OF CUMNORMy Lords, if there was a possibility of further facts coming to light, would the Government not have been wiser to keep an open mind at that time? May I ask whether the local authorities are satisfied with this decision?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I think it is known to the noble Lord that the local authorities originally asked for a 100 per cent. grant.
§ THE EARL OF SHANNONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he and his Department are aware of the recent report of the British Ceramics Research Association on this particular subject, and the recommendations it made?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I am not personally aware of that report, though I hope that my Department is. If the noble Earl has any particular point to put to me about it, I will go into the matter.
§ THE EARL OF SHANNONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether his Department is aware that the British Ceramics Research Association carried out very extensive tests—explosive tests, which I witnessed—on a similar building to show exactly what should or should not be done with this form of construction?
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I am glad to see that the noble Earl is in good health, but I think that my answer to his second supplementary question is included in my answer to his first.