§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of housing starts for each year since 1945, breaking the figure into public and private starts, and giving his latest estimates for starts in 1976 and 1977.
§ Mr. ArmstrongFollowing is the information:
DWELLINGS STARTED IN ENGLAND AND WALES: 1945—SEPTEMBER 1976 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS Thousands Public Sector Private Sector Total 1945 14 6 20 1946 138 65 203 1947 135 30 165 1948 133 17 150 1949 153 30 183 1950 159 19 178 1951 164 25 189 1952 213 50 263 1953 227 81 308 1954 190 104 294 1955 154 124 277 1956 133 116 249 1957 124 122 246 1958 99 133 232 1959 125 164 289 1960 105 176 280 1961 104 181 285 1962 115 178 293 1963 138 192 330 1964 151 239 390 1965 148 202 350 1966 158 185 343 1967 178 225 404 1968 160 190 350 1969 145 158 304 1970 125 157 282 1971 115 196 310 1972 103 214 317 1973 96 200 296 1974 124 96 220 1975 154 137 291 1976 (to 30th September) 129 113 243 Estimates of private sector starts for 1976 and 1977 are not available, but starts in the public sector are likely to be higher this year than last, but lower in 1977.