§ Mr. P. Browneasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will give an assurance that local councils which have to build houses to replace those destroyed by floods will get specific aid for this purpose.
§ Mr. H. BrookeAs I announced on behalf of the Government on 2nd November, some of the cost of the floods to public services will rank for grant aid from the Exchequer in the ordinary way; under the law, some new houses automatically attract subsidy. In the areas that have suffered from floods the Government will further be prepared to consider sympathetically requests from48W authorities for special financial assistance once it is clear that without such assistance an unreasonable burden would fall on the rates: this applies to housing as to other services.