§ Mr. Gristasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each local authority operating under paragraph 30 subsection C of Welsh Office Circular 111/74 the number of second-hand houses acquired and the total expenditure incurred or committed, the number whose ratable value has exceeded by 15 per cent. the ratable value of comparable housing already provided and the forecast expenditure on second-hand house purchases for the next three quarters.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe following is the information available:
Expenditure Incurred or Committed Authority No. of Dwellings Cardiff City Council 10 Delyn BC 1 Torfaen BC 10 Ogwr BC 1 Rhondda BC 2 Montgomery DC 3 Dinefwr BC 1 Expenditure involved is £145,917.
No individual applications have been received by my Department, in accordance with paragraph 31 of Welsh Office Circular 111/74, for the purchase of properties whose rateable value exceeds by 15 per cent. the rateable value of comparable housing already provided.
Forecast expenditure under paragraph 30 of the circular, up to 31st March 1975 is £0.5 million. It is not possible to predict precisely where this expenditure will fall.
§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in the private sector have been bought by Welsh local authorities since March 1974.
§ Mr. John MorrisI have so far approved applications submitted by local authorities for the purchase of 620 dwellings from private developers, 127 of which are in Swansea. Returns so far received from local authorities indicate that they are committed to the purchase of a further 28 dwellings under the general consent contained in Circular 111/74.
§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria he has em- 182W ployed in rejecting applications by local authorities for purchasing houses from the private sector; and what degree of flexibility is allowed in the normal cost yardstick.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe criteria are defined in Circular 111/74. They are that dwellings are needed to meet urgent housing needs and are of an appropriate standard and price. As stated in the circular, it is not intended that authorities acquire dwellings in the higher price brackets. The normal cost yardstick procedures do not apply.