§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fact that only four out of 68 applications to building societies for house mortgages made by Salford Metropolitan District have been granted by the societies and that other local authorities are receiving a similar response, he will 662W instruct the societies to make 10 per cent. of their £5 million a year advances available to local authorities for house mortgage purposes.
§ Mr. FreesonNo. My right hon. Friend has no power to give such instructions. Discussions are in progress between the Building Societies Association and the local authority associations about how the arrangements in the £100 million scheme can be improved. So far as Salford is concerned, I understand that the majority of the applications are still under consideration.