§ 84. Mr. John McKayasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that Gosforth Council has sold to private builders land which it had previously bought out of the surplus funds of the Housing Revenue Account for the purposes of its principal programme of council house building; and whether he will hold an inquiry into these actions of the Gosforth Council.
§ Mr. H. BrookeI am aware that, with the consent of my predecessor, the Gosforth Council sold some of its housing land, which was surplus to its own requirements, for the erection of houses by a private builder. I am at present considering a proposal by the Council to apply part of the proceeds of the sale, together with surplus funds in its Housing Revenue Account, to the discharge of outstanding compensation claims arising from the Council's acquisition of land for housing.