108. Mrs. Hillasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authorities have awarded improvement grants to the nearest con venient date; and how many such grants 137W have been awarded before and since the passing of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954.
§ Mr. SandysOn the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) on 3rd February. More recent figures are not yet available. On the second part of the Question, in the five years between the passing of the 1949 Act and the coming into operation of the 1954 Act grants were approved for 11,873 houses. The Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, did not come into operation until 30th August. In the subsequent four months for which figures are available, grants were approved for 7,924 houses.