§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Prime Minister if the Government intend to take any measures financially to encourage local authorities to build rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterImplementation of the Government's housing policies is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland. The Government's view is that greater diversity of supply of rented housing is desirable, and that generally housing associations should be the main providers of new subsidised housing for rent. Substantial increases are 505W planned in public expenditure provision for capital investment by housing associations financed through the Housing Corporation in England; announcements about the distribution of public expenditure provision in Scotland and Wales will be made by the Secretaries of State concerned in the near future. In Northern Ireland district councils have no housing responsibilities; the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is the sole public housing authority.