§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in outlay of capital funds for house building, improvement, loans and mortgages and grants to housing associations in 1978.
§ Mr. ArmstrongAllocations of housing capital resources for 1978–79 were made under the new system of local authority housing strategies and investment programmes, which provides for each authority to assess housing needs in its area and to consider the best mix of measures to meet them. Within this framework, the aim has been to distribute funds in a way which responds to those assessments. Regional allocations were decided upon following discussions with the Housing Consultative Council. Local allocations were then made in the light of authorities' proposals, and generally after discussions with them, having regard to evidence of need and commitments as well as the Government's overall housing policies, such as the direction of more resources to those areas with a concentration of needs.
The national total allocated for 1978–79 amounted to £100 million more in real terms than the total for 1977–78. While 317W no region received less than its 1977–78 allocation, the bulk of this increase was directed to those regions with a concentration of needs—the North-West, the North and Greater London.