§ 45. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount has been paid in the last 12 months to a convenient date on grants to install baths, hot water systems and inside water closets in houses needing them, how much on conversions costing over £1,000 of higher priced houses, and how much has gone to twilight areas; and what steps he will now take to ensure the poorer types of housing get improvements.
§ Mr. AmeryThe information is not available in the form required.
In the 12 months ended 31st March, 1971, standard grants amounting to £7.5 million were paid to private owners. Discretionary grants amounting to £2.6 million were paid for conversions generally. Comparable figures are not available for work done by local authorities.
My aim is to get as many as possible of our older houses modernised and I have encouraged local authorities to give grants freely. The Department's extensive publicity campaign is making more owners aware of the benefits of improving their houses.
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§ Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost in the last financial year, or in the latest period for which figures are available, of housing improvement grants; what proportions of such grants were paid in respect of privately-owned houses, housing association or trust premises and local authority housing, respectively.
§ Mr. AmeryGrants of £22.4 million were paid to private owners and housing associations in England and Wales in the financial year 1970–71. Comparable figures are not available for work done by local authorities, but the value of work approved for Government contributions towards local authority schemes during this period was about £49 million. Of the numbers of grants approved during the calendar year 1970, 73 per cent. were for private owners and housing associations and 27 per cent. were for local authorities.