§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the local authorities in the Northern Region which are currently in negotiation with his Department concerning house building programmes where the lowest received tender exceeds the amount laid down by the cost yardstick plus the market allowance: what is the total number of proposed houses affected in each case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChannonHousing schemes, involving some 950 dwellings and seven local authorities in the Northern Region, are currently under discussion between the Department and the authorities concerned following the receipt of tenders. Publication of the information in the detail requested could hamper the local authorities concerned in dealing with contractors.
The yardstick arrangements were made more flexible last November by the introduction of special market allowances and the number of dwellings in tenders accepted by local authorities in the Northern Region in the first 12 weeks of this year is 74 per cent. up on the number in tenders accepted in the same period last year.