§ Mr. Waldenasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Birmingham City Council were abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI estimate that the cost to the Birmingham City Council of 205W abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 21s. a week in a 52-week rent year.
If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 45s. to 65s. a week if applied only to those dwellings, or in the range 3s. to 4s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.