§ 14. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average price of a house in the Province in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe average price of second-hand dwellings sold on the open market in the Province during 1987 was £27,750. In 1988 this rose by 7 per cent. to £29,730.
During the first three quarters of 1989 the average price was £30,840, a 3.7 per cent. increase on 1988.
The average price of new-build properties was £31,060 in 1987 and, after a 2.2 per cent. rise, £31,740 in 1988. No figure is yet available for 1989.
The lower cost of housing means that more people can buy. At a given level of income, many people in Northern Ireland can be better housed or better off than in parts of Great Britain.