§ 101. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government to what extent he estimates that the number of houses built by local authorities in 1956 will be diminished by the full implementation by all authorities of the recent Ministerial circular asking them to reduce their expenditure on housing by 20 per cent. by the year after next; and what is the average cut in expenditure which was made by these authorities before the circular was sent out.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe number of houses completed in 1956 is given in the published Housing Return. As I told the House on 11th November, I am taking as my aim that in the financial year 1959–60 local authorities and new towns corporations in England and Wales will complete 100,000 houses. By the time the circular was issued, many authorities 35W were already reviewing their housing programmes in the light of higher interest rates, but the interval was too short for any general conclusion to be based on the one without the other.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take the necessary action for the purpose of collating from local authorities details of those local authorities who are within sight of satisfying their local housing need; and if he will publish the results of such investigations in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. H. BrookeNo. Every local housing authority has its statutory responsibilities, and the number of houses that each one has under construction or in approved tenders is already collected and published every three months in the Housing Returns.