§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now forecast the number of housing starts in the public sector for the year 1979.
§ Mr. Armstrong:In their latest housing investment programme submissions, local authorities, who provide the greater part of the English public sector programme, indicated their intention to make 75,000 starts in 1979–80. However, the number of dwellings in tenders accepted in 1978, which form the basis of starts in the first half of 1979, suggests that unless the new build programme accelerates in the next few months, local authorities will fall short of that figure. Housing associ- 948W ations and new towns are expected—together with a small amount of building by Government Departments—to contribute about 30,000 starts to the 1979 programme.