HC Deb 09 May 1967 vol 746 cc196-8W
Mr. Brooks

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many exchanges of council houses between local authority tenants took place within each county borough in England in the years 1961 to 1966, inclusive; and what was the proportion of such exchanges to the total number of houses completed by each of those authorities in the same years.

Mr. Mellish

I regret that this information is not available. My right hon. Friend proposes to examine whether it is feasible and worthwhile to collect this information for county boroughs and other housing authorities in the light of a pilot survey recently conducted by the Department.

Mrs. Lena Jeger

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the extra cost of providing central heating for bedrooms in an average council house.

Mr. Mellish

The difference in cost between a three-bedroom house with central heating extending to the two main bedrooms and a similar house with downstairs central heating only, would be from £40 to £60 on average. The extra cost would, however, vary with the type of heating installation and could be considerably in excess of £60.

Mr. Grant

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek powers to obtain from local housing authorities information on changes in council house rents and how far such rents are subsidised out of rates, in view of the need for this information

PROPORTION OF EXPENDITURE ON HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT ACCOUNTED FOR BY:
Repayments of principal and transfers to sinking funds
Authority
1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66
per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent.
County Boroughs
Liverpool … … 13.8 13.7 13.1 12.2 11.7
Birkenhead … … 13.3 12.7 12.7 12.0 11.1
Bootle … … 21.7 20.5 21.2 20.2 19.3
St. Helens … … 13.4 14.2 14.3 13.5 12.9
Wallasey … … 16.5 16.8 18.1 16.3 13.8
Non County Boroughs
Bebington … … 16.5 17.8 17.7 16.4 14.8
Crosby … … 12.2 110 11.3 11.4 10.5
Ellesmere Port … … 17.5 17.8 18.0 17.4 16.5
Widnes … … 18.3 160 15.6 15.4 15.6
Urban Districts
Hoylake … … 15.1 15.2 15.9 15.4 14.4
Huyton-with-Roby … … 16.3 16.8 15.7 14.9 14.4
Kirkby … … 10.8 14.5 15.6 13.1 6.9
Litherland … … 15.2 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.1
Neston … … 12.0 12.1 11.7 11.4 11.0
Prestcott … … 16.1 13.7 14.0 13.9 13.2
Rainford … … 17.1 16.9 16.0 16.6 12.4
Runcorn … … 14.3 15.7 16.3 16.1 15.1
Winsford* … … 19.6 17.8 16.5 13.3 11.8
Wirral … … 14.8 15.8 15.6 13.9 14.9
Rural Districts
Chester … … 20.5 20.8 20.1 20.6 19.7
Runcorn … … 18.5 19.0 18.5 18.9 19.3
Tarvin … … 19.8 20.4 21.5 20.5 20.6
Warrington … … 14.9 15.4 15.6 15.9 15.2
West Lancs. … … 20.1 20.5 20.7 20.9 20.7
Whiston … … 20.3 20.2 21.3 22.6 23.4

to be taken into consideration in forming a Prices and Incomes Policy.

Mr. Greenwood

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 25th April. I do not consider it necessary to seek new powers in order to obtain such information.—[Vol. 745, c. 1302.]