HL Deb 20 January 1981 vol 416 cc415-6WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether their "ongoing study of housing finance" (Official Report, 16th December 1980, cols. 979–980) covers the following points:—

  1. (a) that fair rents for new houses are often only sufficient to cover management and maintenance, so that the whole capital cost has to be met by subsidy;
  2. (b) that comparable houses produced by local authorities and housing associations in the same area are often let at widely varying rents; and
  3. (c) that a house-purchaser buying with the aid of an endowment mortgage can obtain income tax relief not only on interest but also on capital repayments;
and if not, why not.

Lord Bellwin

On these and other subjects the department as a matter of course assembles and analyses information in order to be able to assist my right honourable friend in the conduct of his responsibilities for housing. As I told the noble Lord on 16th December, now is not the time for another major review of housing finance.

House adjourned at one minute before eight o'clock.