Mr. Ioan Evansasked the Secretary o f State for Wales what action has been taken since March 1974 to encourage public and private housing starts in Wales.
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§ Mr. RowlandsThere has been a wide range of Government initiatives at securing an immediate increase in the building programme in Wales and elsewhere. I have visited a large number of Welsh housing authorities urging them to accelerate their house building programme. A housing conference for all South Wales authorities was held on 22nd July and a further conference for the remaining authorities will be held in the autumn. In the private sector considerable financial assistance has been given to the building societies to maintain a steady flow of money for house purchase and to peg mortgage interest rates. Local authorities are being encouraged to purchase unsold property from private developers where suitable. The Government intend to maintain the momentum of the housing drive in Wales.