§ 63. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give his latest estimate of the number of council houses to be started in 1975 and in 1976, respectively.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe progress we achieved last year in reversing the downward trend in public sector house building is being maintained. In 1974 in Great Britain public sector starts, at 147,000 were 30 per cent. up on 1973, while the number of dwellings in new contracts let, 153,000, gave us an increase of 34 per cent. on 1973. The figures for the first five months of 1975 show starts up by 9 per cent. and tender 365W approvals by 15 per cent. on the same period of 1974. I expect this rate of progress to be maintained.