§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the number of public sector housing starts in England and Wales during the current year; what is the likely estimate of the total number of such starts for the year; and if he will give the comparable figures for 1984 and 1985, respectively.
§ Mr. Joh PattenThe provisional number of public sector housing starts in England in January to May 1986 and the corresponding figure for 1985, together with the annual figures for 1984 and 1985, were published in table 2 of my Department's press notice No. 363 issued on 3 July; a copy is in the Library. In January to May 1984 there were 17,700 public sector starts in England. It is not the practice to make forecasts of housebuilding.
For information on housebuilding in Wales, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.